Unpopular visitor

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32567, 29 March 1971, Page 16

Unpopular visitor

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, March 28. Answering a knock at the door of his home in Kimberley Avenue, Epsom, this morning, Mr A J. Harris found an elderly man, looking rather embarrassed.

“Excuse me,” said the visitor, “there aren’t any public conveniences around—l wonder if I could use your toilet?” “Surely, help yourself,” said Mr Harris. “Second on the left down the corridor.”

A few minutes passed, the lavatory flushed and the elderly gentleman reappeared. “Thanks very much. That’s very much appreciated,” he said, as he walked away. Ten minutes later, Mr

Harris opened the lavatory door—and recoiled as billows of black smoke surged out to meet him. “It was like a thick fog in there,” he said later. “The 100 had been sabotaged. The seat covering had been burnt off, the walls were covered with some sort of soot and the curtains nylon ones—were burnt off. “It’s one great mess. My wife and I just can’t figure out how he could have done so much damage. The man wasn’t smoking when he went in and wasn’t smoking when he came out.”

The Newmarket police also are puzzled about just what the man got up to.

Mrs Harris Is adamant that the household lavatory will In future be used only by people they know.