WAIHI'S NOCTURNAL VISITANT

Shannon News, 25 October 1927, Page 1

WAIHI'S NOCTURNAL VISITANT

CLOTHES LIT UP BY PHOSPHORUS. Auckland, Oct. 9. Down Waihi way 'there are ghosts—at least everybody in the district swears that a ghost gallivants at night. So startling arc the hair-raising stories that have been told that the people of Thames, Paeroa and Waihi are without being compelled by a curfew law locking all their doors and windows after dark. Most of the stories have a strong Edgar Allen Poe flavour. Gripped by this ghost scare the women and children of Waihi are thoroughly alarmed and after dark 30 or 40 men looking very bold have paraded { the town armed with, vicious looking j bludgeons. j Actually the police do not give much credit to the statements although members of the force have been making sea rolling investigations. One story is told of a doctor driving to a case late one night. He saw a figure dressed in the conventional "api parition" apparel standing majesticaljly in the roadway. As soon as the doctor started to pull his ear up the ghost raced into the bush by the side I of the road. After the ghost raced "the doctor, but no trace could be found. Another story conies from Thames. Going home one night a man saw a tall figure standing in the roadway. The man stopped. The figure advanced. "What are you staring a't," it asked. "I .think you're this —ghost/' said the man. Slowly and haughtily the figure undid its dark overcoat at the same time raising his face which was masked. Phosphorus lit up the clothes under his overcoat arfd his masked face shone brightly. The man broke 10 seconds in a sprint down the road. The figure faded away. Going home after midnight from dances at Waihi a youth saw a whiterobed figure racing TOund .the recreation ground. It was 2 a.m. The figure raced on. The youth raced home. Another story comes from Waihi. A well-known lonian made a most definite statement that about 3.30, after the street lights had been put out a form appeared on the verandah of her house. A powerful electric torch flashed through the window and this .was followed by a peculiar hissing noise like that of some mechanical toy. The ap parition entered the house by the front door which had blown open and stood at' the .bedroom door for a few moments. According to the woman it wore a skull cap with white streaks and was dressed in a dark suit. She was awake at the time because a heavy gale had forced open the front door. She was too scared to give any alarm to the people of the house.