Motorists With Two-Way Radios Labelled "Spies"

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29723, 17 January 1962, Page 13

Motorists With Two-Way Radios Labelled "Spies"

AUCKLAND, January 16.

Two-way radioa are the sign of spies in the Lebanon, according to the advance party of a British two-car “World Overland Expedition ’ which arrived at Auckland in the Wanganella today. The six members of the expedition were held up on the Lebanon border. Although no attention was paid to the rifles carried by members, •he guards were convinced they were spies because of the s’range-looking radio sets fitted in their Landrovers. “We argued with them for a while.” said Mrs M. E. Stone, a member of the party, “and then decided to ignore them.

"We settled down with one car in no-man’s land and th» other outside the border to cook a meat” she said •Eventually the guards decided that the radios were harmless and allowed us to pass.”

Mrs Stone, who was accompanied by her husband, will be followed from Australia

(New Zealand Press Association)

by the remaining four in a short time. The other party is under Mr Dennis Frith, also from England The expedition has visited 14 countries already and'has covered 39,000 miles. Th? party will stay about two months in New Zealand before continuing their tour in South America, North America and Africa. Both cars have diesel engines and have a range o* 1000 miles. Besides radiotelephone. they are equipped with extra fuel and water tanks, heaters, spare parts and roof racks.

The springs have been specially set up and there are power winches on the front to help in desert and river crossings.