MAGISTRATE THANKED FOR GAOL SENTENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19237, 26 November 1930, Page 14

MAGISTRATE THANKED FOR GAOL SENTENCE.

SEAMAN ESCAPED FROM INEBRIATES’ ISLAND. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, November 26. Hugh Jones, aged forty-nine, a seaman, who escaped from the Rotoroa inebriates’ island in a dinghy with improvised oars, was to-day charged with assaulting the manager of the home, with converting a dinghy to his own use, and with escaping. He was sentenced in all to five months’ imprisonment, and was ordered to pay £7 for the dinghy. It was stated in evidence that Jones had asked last Saturday if he could be sent to gaol. When sentenced today, he thanked the Magistrate. A daring escape from Rotoroa inebriates’ island, where he was an inmate, was made at ten o’clock on Saturday night by Hugh Jones, a Welsh seaman. In the teeth of a howling sou’-wester-Iv wind. Jones, in a small dinghy, rowed throughout the night, despite the frequent squalls of blinding rain, and after eight hours reached the mainland near Tamaki. Jones, who has been on the island for six months, decided to escape on Saturday, and tqok the dinghy, only to find that there were no oars, these being kept under lock and ke)'. He set to work and found, two poles, to which he nailed pieces of board. With these improvised oars he set off at 10 p.m. towards the mainland. At times his small craft was almost swamped by the big head seas. Large blisters soon appeared on his hands, but he kept at his task, and eventually reached a beach near Tamaki, where he landed, thoroughly tired out. He went to the city on a bus. and early last evening went to the Salvation Army Citadel in Grey Avenue, where he interviewed one of the officers from the island. lie was later arrested.