SHIP DESERTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23918, 20 September 1939, Page 13

SHIP DESERTERS

THREE MEN CHARGED BRITISHER AND TWO GERMANS (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND. Sept. 19. Three ship deresters, one Briton and two Germans, came before the Police Court to-day William Hill, aged 30, an engineer, admitted having deserted from the ship Napier Star on June 27. The police said he was anxious to return to England, but no ship was available. “ I would like to join one of the services here. I am an engineer.” said Hill. Mr F, H. Levien, S.M.: It is rather difficult to open up the court as a recruiting agency. You will be sen tenced to 21 days’ imprisonment. Rudolf Schmueser. aged 19. and Paul Breur aged 19, appeared on remand, charged with deserting from the German vessel Dortmund at Auckland on April 12. Counsel (Mr F. H. Haig) said Schmueser formerly lived with his parents in Hamburg His father had been in a concentration camp for two years because he was a Social, Democrat and was opposed to the Nazi regime. Breur, also a member of the Social Democrat Party, was told that on his return to Germany he would go to a concentration camp because he was found asleep while on watch. Both men could return to their employment at the Glen Afton and Rotowaro mines The Collector of Customs said he was Instructed by his department to ask that both Germans be deported and held in prison in the meanwhile. Mr Levien said that but for their youth he would deal with them as he had dealt with other deserters. He thought the best way would be to convict them and order them to come up for sentence if called upon within two years. They must understand, he added that while they remained in New Zealand they must be of good behaviour or they would be dealt with.