MISTAKEN FOR A BURGLAR.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 15 May 1922, Page 6

MISTAKEN FOR A BURGLAR.

A REPORTER'S ADVENTURE

. A reporter had all the thrill of being taken for "a burglar on Tuesday nigiit. says the Auckland Star The meeting was being held in a. room at the most extreme corner of the very top floor Arriving a few minutes late he found the big street door shut in ins race, and no arrangements had apparently been made for latecomers. In about half-an-hour, however, an employee, who had been working overtime happened to come out, the reporter ex' plained his position and entered the portals. It was a dull night, and the | big department store was in darkness. ; Ihere was a light in the lift, but not beinS .of a mechanical turn of mind and his insurance policy having lapsed owing to the financial stringency" ne did not feel equal to negotiating the machinery in the absence of the engineer. Finding the stairway he began to climb. When he had mounted about as high as Rangitoto (or so it telt) he turned due west and started looking for a meeting. , After falling over two tm baths and other mW* 3

•-— "o «"u i>ui4cr pieces or audible tinware he thought it was time to strike a match. The next thing he knew a hand was on his shoulder, the touch being just the reverse of that of the gentle sailor celebrated in Dibdin's poem, and a very angry nightwatch- | man wanted to know who the stranger was, and more especially what he was doing there at that time of night The reporter denied any felonious intent and produced his badge and his circular ™t / n W'gran* "'ith his passpoit and whatnot when the mail tlTf \T YeS- The aightwatcbman seemed rather annoyed, at this lawful ending of what should have been a burglary, and piloted the explorerreporter to the place of meeting which was several floors higher than ' where the noisy tinware was stored. I