FALSE RUMOURS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23708, 15 July 1940, Page 6

FALSE RUMOURS

DANGEEOTJS INFLUENCE PRIME MINISTER'S WARNING " SUB-STATIONS OF BERLIN" A warning against false rumours and the people responsible for them, whom he described as rumourists, was uttered, by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, in a national broadcast last night. He pointed out that under war conditions these activities were a punishable offence.

"There are people I can best describe as rumourists," Mr. Fraser said. "I think they are about as bad as the Fifth Columnists we hear so much about, and their influence can certainly be a danger." An instance of the work of these persons concerned the sinking of the liner Niagara. Some people did not scruple to say, and go on saying, that the ship was destroyed by an internal explosion. This was absolutely false. Long after the official explanation was made that the sinking was caused by a mine, the rumourists had repeated their story because they wanted to. be* lieve it was caused by internal treachery and they persisted in the tale rather than accept disappointment and accept the fact that the loss waa due to an enemy mine.

Mr. Fraser added that it should always be remembered that people who spread false rumours at the present time were guilty of a breach of the law, and they should be reported without hesitation to the police. Some of the worst rumours, those prophesying the overthrow of Britain and the British Empire, emanated from the German radio station, and should not on any account be repeated in New Zealand. Persons should not allow themselves to be made "sub-stations of Berlin."