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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 188, 7 February 1914, Page 4

TRAVELLERS' TALES. Travellers' tales, like fisMng anecdotes, are notorious for their Munchausen tendency, but when they are evolved tor the special purpose of creating :i scare, they are apt to be mischievous. An institute in point is afforded b>- the imitation of an astounding fabrication which found its way into a Brazilian newspaper recently, and. no doubt, the London correspondent who unearthed it enjoyed the joke immensely. The story gives a remarkably vivid account of the fate of a "well-known professor of mineralogy, Mr. Werner, who was murdered while travelling- in New Zealand on an expedition in search of radium." This Wending of Eastern imagination with modern science gives the production an air of reality and interest that does credit to the Brazilian writers' geniui, and naturally impresses those who know no better. The tale states that "Mr. Werner was proceeding with a caravan along the north-east coast, when he was suddenly attacked by members of a tribe of aborigines. The attendants of the caravan ran away, leaving Mr. Werner to defend hinuielf as l|jpt he could. Having shot four of assailants with his revolver, he was run in upon while reloading, bound, and carried off to the headquarters of the tribe, where he was killed and eaten. New Zealand owns a number of so-called uninhabited inlands, in which no doubt there lurk wandering groups of flegenerate aboriginal natives, among whom such customs still linger. The native Maori population numbers about 47,000. Assuming the truth 0 f the statement as to the cannibalism practised, it Bccnis likelv that an energetic Government like that of New Zealand will take measures to convince the tribes that, though civilised countries may permit murder when decently committed, as by motor-car, for instance they draw the line at cannibalism." It woidd be ungenerous to suppose that these sort of concoctions are circulated in South America for the purpose of deterring people from emigrating to this country in the 'hope of escaping from the uncomfortable conditions that prevail in some of the Latin republics,'but it is a fact that the Argentine newspapers as well as the Brazilian are Riven to presenting the worst side of the !)> mimon rather than the better side to their readers.