COUNCIL DUPED

Hokitika Guardian, 30 March 1935, Page 4

COUNCIL DUPED

NELSON BROADCAST HOAX NELSON, March 29. Nelsoi nio shieKing with laughter this morning at Hie .colossal joke that was played cm the Maylor and members of the City Council last night. For nearly three hours members of the council thought that their proceedings were being broadcast and most iof them we l e out to make lie most of the occasion. Only when the meeting was over did they Hid that they had been hoaxed. With all the impedimenta necessary for a broadcast relay,.the perpetrator of the joke arranged that the Mayor and councillors should speak unto a microphone as they discussed the council business, while he attended to batteries and valves, twirled knobs • with headphones over his ears, made adjustments. So the man responsible for the hoe. put the microphone in ftant of the V vjir As each councillor nose t° seak the operator quietly toc-k the apparatus across to him, enjoining silence on the part oPother members. Full advantage was taken by some oml'icillors of the opportunity. They knew that the municipal elections would be held in a month’s time, an some of the speeches were distinctly reminiscA't of election addresses. Ever subject was carefully considered . a never were the proceedings of a mor orderly nature. . . , Then one councillor rushed home to listen to the remainder of the proceedings. He dialled the local station, 2ZK, and found it was not on the air. Sensing that something was wrong, this councillor returned to the council chamber and announced that there was no broadcast. Even then the man responsible tor the hoax did not blink an eye. He let the remaining councillors fight lus battle. for him as they were unanimous m their opinion that the man who went homo to listen possessed a radio set that was not in order. The ordinary business over, the council went'into committee, and the “relay operator,” a well-known citizen, commenced to gather up his microphone and other apparatus. Then came the denouncement. The operator calmly told the assembled council that the wolile thing was a hoax, and that nothing had gone out over the air.

Just how lie got out alive is not known, but to-day his joke is the one subject for conversation in Nelson.