Boys’ Camp.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1943, Page 2

Boys’ Camp.

The General Secretary of the Y.M.C.A. will be pleased to receive any donations of fruit, jam, vegetables, etc. for the boys’ camp at Castlepoint. There are fifty campers for this year's camp. Disabled Soldiers’ Work. A shop day will be held tomorrow m the premises formerly occupied by Messrs Krahagen and Chapman in Perry Street, Masterton, when handicraft work made by dsiabled soldiers will be on sale. A wide range of well made goods will be offered for sale. The articles are on displaj r in the window. Day in the Open. Thirty-six boy and girl members of the Masterton Y.M.C.A., under the leadership of the General Secretary, spent a most enjoyable day in the open air yesterday. The party left the Y.M.C.A. at 10.30 a.m. and tramped from the Colombo Road bridge along the river bed until a suitable swimming place was located. After a swim and lunch a short programme of games was enjoyed. Another swim followed and then the party continued their exploration of the upper portion of the river. The road was reached again at Lansdowne and the party returned via the Park swing bridge to the Y.M.C.A. Light refreshments made a fitting conclusion to a successful health-giving day’s outing. Deserter Sent to Gaol.

The unusual feature of a military deserter’ having been arrested at his home near Trentham by a party of civil police was disclosed at a district court martial at Trentham of Gunner Huia Kent. He was absent from camp from December 7, 1942, to December 10, 1943. The court found him guilty of desertion and he was sentenced to one year’s gaol with hard labour. Accused in evidence denied that he was a. deserter. His views were that he should defend New Zealand only for two reasons: (1) As the result of his religious teaching he knew he was condemned immediately he killed any man but he was prepared to waive these convictions in the deefnee of New Zealand and its mandated territory; (2) he had several political convictions, one being his objection to certain Ministers making laws forcing a man against his own will to do something which they themselves had already refused to do in the last war,