BOGUS INSPECTOR.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 14 July 1917, Page 6

BOGUS INSPECTOR.

STRANGE IMPERSONATION. LENGTHY TRIP BY TAXI. An extraordinary story of impersonation is reported from Napier. It is stated that a man calling himself Wilson recently impersonated a Telegraph Department superintendent, and apparently duped a number, of postmasters and postmistresses in Hawkes' Bay and Manawatu.

The man's operations commenced at Hastings, where one evening he hired a taxi, saying that he was the assistant superintendent for the Telegraph Department, and had to inspect the Greenmeadows post office. At Greenmeadows, it appears, Wilson inspected the back portion of the post office. On returning a little later Wilson said he had received a telephone message from his chief, who desired him immediately to proceed to Palmerston North. The night was wet, but the taxi-driver headed his cab round, and after some hours' motoring through the blinding rain delivered his "superintendent" at Palmerston North. Wilson and his driver were now on good terms and stayed at a hotel, the driver paying his own board, but, so it is stated, being hospitably entertained by his passenger. Wilson inspected the telephone arrangements, etc., and delighted many people by informing them that he had come to arrange for the reorganisation and improvement of the who'e svstem.

Wilson again called the taxi, and Ashhurst .was favoured by a similar visit. Wilson acted his part so well fiat he was even entertained to afternoon tea at one post office. The climax was reached at Sanson, where they arrived in the evening. The

following morning, Wilson, in answer to *n "urgent message," went out on a visit of' inspection, this time on foot. The taxi-driver came down to breakfast, and, asking for Wilson, was told he had gone to inspect the post office. Lunch time arrived, but Wilson did not appear. "I will go to the post office," said the driver to the proprietor. "I expect he is having his meals there." At the post office there was no Wilson, nor had a Wilson been there. It is said that before disappearing Wilson had borrowed £3 from the driver, on the plea that the banks were not yet open . When the taxi-driver returned to Hastings the mileage recorder showed 700 miles. A curious feature of the case is that the same '' Wilson " previously made a similar trip to other districts in Hawke's Bay, but on that occasion paid all expenses. Wilson appears to have displayed considerable knowledge of telephone and telegraph systems, but even that gives no clue to his indentity