POLITICIANS HOAXED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20604, 1 July 1930, Page 11

POLITICIANS HOAXED.

CROYDON GARDEN PARTY.

CHEEIRS FOR BOGUS ROYALTY.

LONDON". .Tune 23

Members of the South Croydon Liberal Association became very exoitecL.when .they received an invitation to attend a garden party in aid of thfl Liberal Party s funds. It was announced that Prince and Princess Henry, of Bo;snia-Hert;!govina, who, it was explained, were staying with friends in the neighbourhood, bud consented to be present.

A circular accompanying the invitation announced the details ol the ceremonial. It Jiet out that the second car to arrive would bring this Prince and IPrinoess, an equerry and a lady-in-waiting. " Please reserve your cheers for tha second car," saiid the circular, and; so tha crowd restrained their cheers until tha arrival of the expected Royal visitors, whom they greeted with roars of applause.

Men removed their hats and women curtsied when the pretty Princess stepped out, accompanied by the Prince;, wearing a full-dress blue military uniform, faced with gold, and vith u large star on the left bres-st.

The Royal couple accepted an address of welcome, after which they wers graciously pleased to pa.tronLse the coconut shiies.

Unfortunately, the Scuth Croydon Liberals were not historically minded, otherwise they might have recalled that Bosnia-Hertzgovina was annexed by Austria in 1906, almost anticipating the Great War,,

It was not till later that they discovered they had beea hoaxed. • The "Prince" was Captain Tracers Griff en, formerly of the Air Force, and tho "Princes:;'" was Miss Hilda Russell, who played in " The Five o'Clock Girl.' 1 '