MYSTERIOUS LIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21298, 27 September 1932, Page 8

MYSTERIOUS LIGHT

POLICE AT UNIVERSITY EARLY MORNING INCIDENT AN EXPERIMENT INTERRUPTED Three groups of police constables moved silently through the grounds of the Auckland University. College early on a recent morning and converged on a point where a mysterious flashing light seemed to be coming from the ground floor of the building. Expecting to surprise a burglar using a blow-lamp, the police party found only a member of the college physics department staff busy with some experiments in wireless transmission.

The visit of the police followed a telephone message received at the watch-house station at about 1.30 a.m. It- was reported that a flickering light was visible in the college buildings directly under the tower. "It looks like a burglar using a blowlamp," said the voice. Immediate action was taken by the sergeant on duty. Gathering a party of about six constables, he sent them to investigate. The party split up three groups and the building was surrounded. They moved slowly toward the place where the light appeared. Busy with apparatus in the back of a motor-car, the college lecturer did not notice the constables until they were close to him. He looked up and saw policemen coming "from all directions." He was considerably surprised, but the humour of the situation was enjoyed by all parties after he gave an explanation for his presence there at that hour.

The lecturer was experimenting with direction finding apparatus, contact being established between the motor-car and a station in the science buildings at the college. Owing to interference with broadcasting, an hour wheh stations were "off the air" had to be chosen by him.