A FREE MAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23442, 5 March 1938, Page 23

A FREE MAN

GERMAN SEAMAN* DESERTS j GRANTED LEAVE TO SETTLE After being in custody in Timaru for three weeks on a charge of entering New Zealand while a prohibited immigrant, Eduard Lewers, aged 31 years, a German seaman, left the Timaru Magistrate's Court a free man on Wednesday, the Minister of Customs (Mr W. Nash) having granted him permission to remain as a permanent resident of New Zealand. Lewers, who was a seaman on the Hamburg-Amerika ship Naumburg, which flies,the Swastika flag, is alleged to have been confined in his cabin whenever the Naumburg was in port. While she was loading New York.cargo at Timaru on" January 4, Lewers managed to escape from his temporary prison and left. the ship at about 2.30 in the morning. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but it was not until three weeks ago that he was found working at Rangitata where he was apprehended Counsel for Lewers, Mr L M. Jnglis, commenced negotiations with the Customs Department to enable him to remain, in New Zealand and at a sitting of the Timaru Magistrate's Court the collector- of Customs, Mr G. P. Pritchard. iriti- i mated that the Minister had granted Lewers permission to become a permanent resident of New Zealand. The charge against Lewers was withdrawn and he left the court a free man. It is understood he will return to his former employment at Rangitata.