FIFTEENTHS ARRIVE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17291, 5 October 1916, Page 6

FIFTEENTHS ARRIVE.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MINISTER,

CONDEMNATION OF WICKED

RUMOURS

[Peh Press Association-.]

WELLINGTON, October 4.

"I. deprecate in tho strongest>.possible terms these idle „■ rumours ivhich aro in circulation about our trans-, ports," said the Hon J. Allen (Minister of Defence) to a reporter to-day. "There have been persistent rumours that one of our transports has been sunk. Tho public must understand that if any such information came to me it would be immediately mad© public. There is no reason to withhold it. Sad as the news might be it would be mad» known. , > .! "Such rumours as have been circulated are not only idle. They are wicked, and they make thousands of people miserable. There' is a rumour that there is something wrong with the Tahiti. Sha is perfectly safe. Both of the transports that conveyed the Fiftenth Reinforcements have reached their destination safely. "I do -hope that people who hear theso baseless rumours will write to mo and tell me who it was who told thcm. : If-they dor that I will'trace the' rumour to its source and see. if I can stop anything of the kind happening in future." ' •' \ .■ :