A FALSE REPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1931, Page 6

A FALSE REPORT

ATTEMPT TO HOAX COMPANY. WELLINGTON, December 15. A hoax, which was fortunately, revealed with little trouble, but which might have caused considerable worry and expense, was perpetrated on Friday, when a bogus telephone call was received at the office of New Zealand Fisheries Ltd., to the effect .that the company’s trawler Futurist was in difficulties off the Awatere River. The call was received about eleven o’clock in the morning, a voice which carried a certain air of officialdom stating that it was “the General Post Office speaking,” and that the following telegram had been received from the Postmaster at Seddon: “Vessel presumably the Futurist seen in difliculties off Awatere River. Looks as ’i rudder broken.” The Ma rine Department was communicated with, and ther Department telephoned the lighthouse keeper at Cape Campbell,;- asking him to endeavour to locate the vessel and to report if and when the Futurist was sighted. The Futurist left Wellington at 7.30 a.ni. on Friday for the fishing grounds south of Cape Campbell, and the Department’s officials were consequently very doubtful that she could have re.ached the locality bv the time 1 she was reported to be in difficulties, The lighthouse keeper searched the sea with a telescope, up to five miles past the Awatere River and sighted nothing. Soon afterwards the trawler passed by,,-and on . being signalled with flags.reported “All Well.”