WANDERING CHILD

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 32, 6 August 1936, Page 10

WANDERING CHILD

SAMARITAN PUZZLED

BROADCASTING QUANDARY

Shortly after 6 o'clock last night, a W.C.C. traffic inspector, while driving

! along the Hutt Road between Kaiwarra and Onslow Road, caught a glimpse in his headlights of a small boy running along the side of the road in the direction of Ngahauranga. He went back and found the'child, aged about 3 years with tears streaming down his face, lost, afraid, and unable to say anything more coherent than his name was "Brian." It was subseLquently discovered that the child had followed a herd of cattle from Johnsonville, but at the time the inspector was completely mystified as to the child's identity and home address. He drove to Ngahauranga but no inquiries had been made there, nor was the-Cen-tral Police Station, Wellington by telephone able to give any information or assistance. Finally, he rang 2YA broadcasting station and asked if an announcement could be made regarding the boy's being found. He was informed that no announcement could be made without a typewritten form being received from the Police Department. The inspector telephoned the Central" Station, and again gave his identity and explained the position. ■ He was informed, however, that such a form could not b esent to 2YA unless a relative of the missing child inquired as to its whereabouts. The. traffic inspector was completely nonplussed. It appeared to him that the broadcasting and police regulations in their desire to prevent the broadcasting of false messages, had apparently overlooked such a situation as this. The inspector had no intention of leaving the child by the roadside, particularly as he was heading, when stopped, straight for the busy Ngahauranga Qorge intersection. . The inspector was about to leave Ngahauranga and bring the child into Wellington when a young man appeared from the Gorge road and informed him that the child had been missing from Johnsonville since earlier in the day and that he had apparently followed a herd of cattle right through to the Hutt Road. In the circumstances, the ending appeared to be a happy ons=