SEVERAL STOWAWAYS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 111, 10 April 1929, Page 2

SEVERAL STOWAWAYS.

CASES HEARD AT WELLINGTON. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON. April 9. Four men, Walter Yearsley, a motor mechanic, aged 21 years, James Higgins, a seaman, aged 29 years, Clarence '"Richardson, a butcher, aged <3l years;- and William J. Brinkman, a labourer, aged 23 years, were charged before Mr E. Page, S.M., to-day with stowing away on the Tairoa when she left Wellington for England on April 3rd. . , . They were transferred to the Tainui at sea and brought back to Wellington. ' Mr O’Leary, for the shipping company, said that the men hdd conducted themselves well on both vessels and worked well. The point lie wished to stress was that if one of the accused had escaped in an American port, where the immigration laws were very strict, the ship might have been held up indefinitely until he was found. The company also would have been obliged to enter into -a substantial bond on behalf of each of the men. In reply "to a question by the Bench* two of the accused said that they had been in New Zealand for a few years, but could not _ get work. Each had tried to work his passage 1-ack to England, but they were not able to sign on a ship. They wanted to get back to England somehow where they at least lrad a home to go to. They had no intention of getting off at an American port. _ , Eacli accused was fined £o, :ti default 14 days. Tho Makura yesterday brought two stowaways, Law Ke San. who boarded the ship at Papeete, and. Tai Kekeua, a labourer, aged 17 years, who boarded her at RaratongaV Through ap interpreter Law Ke San said that lie would rather die than return to Papeete. He was ordered to pay .' £2O, the cost of tho third class return fare‘ from Papeete, and on the charge of landing in New Zealand without a. permit was ordered to be deported to Papeete and to pay the interpreter’s fee, 10s 6d. Kekeua was