Robot Fire Alarm In Adelaide Area Traps Jokesters

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 2, 4 January 1939, Page 3

Robot Fire Alarm In Adelaide Area Traps Jokesters

ADELAIDE. One of Adelaide’s suburbs has installed a score robot fire alarms which shout questions in challenging accents immediately they are put into operation. “Where is the fire?” comes first. Then, after asking the name of the street, information is sought about the character of the building. Set up to catch those who give malicious calls, the net result so far lias been to place inquisitive little chaps in the hands of the law, for the red box at street corners, or outside buildings, has always been a source of mischievousness. A group of children one day set the alarm going. When the big voice began asking questions they scampered off. The fireman in the station heard the excited hubbub of children’s voices and they guessed the rest. One of the station hands started to ask startling and awkward questions and a bystander told the incriminating story. The voice has certainly kept down the practical joker who is big enough to know better. Too Careful At a party in the village, the headmaster of the local school felt that he had partaken rather freely of champagne; he determined to be careful and avoid showing any of the usual signs of tipsiness. When they rose from the table someone suggested that the hostess exhibu “the latest addition to her family.” She agreed and presently the nurse appeared, with a dainty pink basket containing twins. The headmaster was nearest and, mindful of his determination, he steadied himself and said, as he gazed into the basket, “What a beautiful baby!”