HOAX ON TITLED LADY

Hawera Star, Volume L, 7 February 1931, Page 6

HOAX ON TITLED LADY

I. MANY UNORDERED GOODS. Ail unknown man, by a series of telephone calls, recently hoaxed a number of West End business firms into sending representatives and goods to the house of the Marchioness of Huntly, in Grosvenor Square. The door bell rang at 10.30. Within a few minutes it had rung several time, announcing the arrival of the representatives of a well-known firm 'of jewellers, a firm of dress designers, a I shoe-maker, a beauty specialist and others. In motor-ears the representatives brought/ with them jewels, dresses. coats, shoes, creams and loiions. There was dismay among the gathering when they were informed that the Marchioness knew nothing about it; that she had not asked them to call. They returned to then- business houses taking the unwanted articles with them. “it is all too .stupid,” said the Marchioness. “Two of the firms know me very well and, of course they sent along immediately,. I cannot think why anyone should do such a tiling. These people said that, they had been) instructed bv mv secretary.

A representative of the dress designers said: “The whole thing was quite evidently done for a ‘joke.’ A man’s voice that spoke to us on the telephone requested that frocks and other goods should he sent to the Marchioness's bouse.”