UNDESIRABLES.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13412, 9 May 1912, Page 4

UNDESIRABLES.

HOW THEY REACH NEW ZEALAND

(Special to "The Colonist.' 1)

Chnstchurch, May 8. With all the precaution taken by the State to insure that people coming to the Dominion from abroad shall bo of a class that will be a benefit to the country instead of a menace," says the "Lyttelton Times," ''there is still one avenue through which a considerable numbar of •undesirables gain admittance. 'The avenue ie provided by tho ships trading to New Zealand from British and American port:- r•■'--•■ Jomc< liner is in New Zealand waters there is always anxiety regarding t r . . • ibers of her crew aii'd her stokehold staff. It is well known that criminals desirous of evading tho punishment consequent to a. breach of thei law often take to the stokehold as- a means of i hiding tho police. Once in New Zealand they geek an opportunity to desert -so as to avoirl returning to the country \vh?re arrest is awaiting them. .In most of the ports of the Dominion desertions take place and the police aro frequently unable* to trace these men. Speaking to a reporter, a dfltoctive with considerable experience, stated that the desertions of pail-' ors and firemen admitted more undesirables to the country than the public thought. Time after time when mesi were arrested for crime it was d scovered that they were criminals who had arrived in tho Dominion in the stokehold, of some Homo.liner. Wellington and Auckland warn the .worst ports for the traffic because the proximity of the city to the wharves made deserters from ships a comparatively simple matter. In .Lyttelton the opportunities were not po- advantageous, but the country offer-

■■ed'a Jiavon. Description 5 of deserters wove always -pout to country polio© stattions. he said, and th<> opportunities «ffo?"led the polico in t-ht\ rural districts wc-rp brtt'T than .in'tbo cities where a man's triii] was quickly lost."