FOOLS AND WIRELESS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18797, 9 February 1931, Page 9

FOOLS AND WIRELESS.

SERIOUS RESULTS OF FALSE REPORT. LINER’S FRUITLESS JOURNEY. By Telegraph—Press Association GISBORNE, February 8. Wireless has proved of invaluable help in the present disaster, nevertheless misleading messages act in a cruel manner. Apparently as a result of a message on the air on Tuesday, the public gained the impression that Gisborne was badly affected by the ’quake. It can be again emphasised that the result of the heavy ’quake on Tuesday was that only minor damage was done to shops, and that no one was injured. Another instance of a panicky wireless message may prove very expensive for it resulted in the big liner Northumberland being ordered to leave 16,000 carcases of meat, rapidly deteriorating at Napier, and rush to Wairoa on Friday morning. The Northumberland, then lying at Napier, was ordered to go to Wairoa to pick up thirty or forty thousand carcases of meat from the Wairoa freezing works, which had been damaged by Tuesday’s quake. The Wairoa freezing works caught fire on Thursday night. When the liner left Napier the works were burning, and when twenty miles out from Napier the ship was ordered by wireless to come back to Napier, and put aboard sixteen thousand carcases which were rapidly deteriorating as a result of fire at Port Ahuriri. The liner dropped anchor and commenced loading. Then a message was received from the captain of H.M.S. Dunedin, stating that a wireless had just been received that Wairoa was in a state of panic; houses had gone; sanitation had failed, and assistance was wanted at once. The Northumberland was ordered to proceed to Wairoa. All work was immediately stopped, and the liner set out without delay. Considerable anxiety prevailed on board the liner, as the vessel was rushing over uncharted seas, and a line was kept going continuously. Two doctors and three medical students were aboard, and on the way across cots were hastily fitted up to accommodate sixty cot cases. When the liner reached Wairoa at 6.30 p.m. she lowered a launch, and a party including Commander Upton, in charge of the Northumberland, two medical men, three medical students, a first aid outfit, wireless equipment, etc., was tumbled into the launch. The small craft made a hazardous crossing over the bar, and proceeded at full speed up the river to the town, noticing on the way up that the freezing works had been burnt.

On the wharf a man was standing and hailed them “Have you brought the mail?” he said. “What’s all the trouble?” was the reply. “There’s nothing much happened here since the big ’quake on Tuesday,” said the man, “except that we’re had a few more shakes since, and the freezing works has been burnt down.” Commander Upton. Dr. Rice (of Gisborne), and the other medical men aboard went ashore and waiteed on the Mayor, who, after hearing the reason for the visit, expressed sincere regrets. Commander Upton took the matter very sportingly, and expressed pleasure that their visit had been a fruitless one.

As it was impossible to recross the bar on account of the tide, the Commander wirelessed his officer on the ship, which proceeded back to Napier, and Commander Upton flew back there yesterday morning. The same wireless message had been received by other stations, for at 5.40 p.m. on Friday, Mr Hackett, chief reporter of the “New Zealand Herald” arrived by ’plane from Rotorua. He said that he had received a message from Auckland to a similar effect to that received by the warship Dunedin. On arrival he was impressed by the magnitude of the ’quake on Tuesday, but finding the latest report was false he left again at 6.30 p.m. Dr. H. Goulding Rice, who told a reporter of the Northumberland’s vain quest, suggesteed that in times of national disaster wireless sets should be sealed, and messages sent only under official authority. It is not known here if the Northumberland arrived in to save the Port Ahuriri meat, but If not the loss will be a serious one.

An earthquake shock, the sharpest experienced here since the big ’quake, was experienced at 1.40 p.m. to-day. People rushed out into the streets. No damage is reported.