COMEDY OF ERRORS
MARKING ON FAT CANISTER SINISTER SIGNIFICANCE SUSPECTED PA WELLINGTON, Mar. 25. “Food gift case No. 3738 from New Zealand ex ship 1045 containing 12 canisters marked * mine —apparently explosive—police informed.” This cryptic and sensational message was received by the Ministry of Food in London after a New Zealand Aid for Britain parcel had reached a school at Banffshire, Scotland. Later the Ministry received another dramatic telegram from the headmistress of the school: “One of the canisters, shot open by rifle fire, contains a white, firm, fatty substance which does not ignite.” A reassuring telephone message was sent by the Minister to the nearest point (the school was not on the telephone), and policemen guarding the sinister canisters were dispersed, and the comedy of errors ended on a happy note The mysterious, non-inflammable substance was merely fat sent by the New Zealand Aid for Britain National Council in anti-tank mine containers, as the Dominion is short of suitable packing tins. The story was related to-day by the council.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 27040, 26 March 1949, Page 8
Word Count
170COMEDY OF ERRORS Otago Daily Times, Issue 27040, 26 March 1949, Page 8
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