ANOTHER FALSE ALARM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16665, 25 September 1914, Page 6

ANOTHER FALSE ALARM.

Frequent exposure does not appear to discourage the peculiar people who find pleasure in the invention and circulation of false war news. Ever since hostilities began, seven weeks ago, wild and absurd tales of victories and defeats, successes and disasters, have been current, and day after day the telephone wires have been kept hot by eager inquirers who wanted busy newspaper men to tell them all about the sinking of nineteen Dreadnoughts in the North Sea, the destruction of the battle-cruiser New Zealand off the coast of Holland, the wiping out of the Australian fleet and other "incidents" <f a similar character. Many of the rumours have been simply ridiculous .and could be dismissed with a smile, but during the last day or two the busybodies have been spreading a tale about a disaster affecting New Zealand troops and creating a considerable amount of real alarm. Perhaps a police prosecution on a charge of. disseminating false news would bring them to their senses. The public may be quite sure that any important' information regarding the Dominion's troops would come through the usual channels and be distributed promptly in the ordinary way. Peoplo who affect to have received special news of a sensational character from some source other than the Government or the newspapers are faking—or prevaricating. It may be mentioned in this connection that there appears to bo no reason now why the Government should not supply a little news from Samoa. Wireless communication with . the new possession has been established, and no Imperial interest could bo injured by the publication here of an occasional message from Apia.