RUMOURS AGAIN

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21203, 28 August 1940, Page 15

RUMOURS AGAIN

FANTASTIC STORIES HAVE YOU HEARD? THAT’S WHAT I’M TOLD Shortly after the outbreak of war one of the chief delights of an unfortunately large nvimber of persons was the habit of spreading rumours. After some months the habit seemed to have worn thin in this country. News that a ship had been attacked in the Tasman Sea apparently recalled to the mind of a number of these people that there was a war on, and, despite the Government campaign to check rumours, fantastic stories are going the rounds. The amazing part of it is the apparent sincerity with which many who should know better tell their stories. Yesterday and today, for instance* the writer has been told from “thoroughly reliable” sources of five or six naval battles in the Tasman Sea, all of which have caused fantastic losses to German and British, Australian and New Zealand ships. Apparently it did not matter where the information came from. It was, so the informants thought, a good story and too good to keep to oneself. One story depicted the Achilles limping into Wellington. In the next the New Zealand cruiser limped into ChristchLirch, and the next story positively stated that the ship had “just made” Auckland. The people spreading the stories are usually those who ridicule the German propaganda station announcements, yet they calmly announce that New Zealand has three Achilles cruisers or else they claim that the ship has been cut in three. Absurdity No Deterrent The absurd nature of the stories does not deter many people from repeating them. “Men and heavy guns are being rushed to New Zealand’s coasts. Lorries laden with ammunition are thronging the highways getting ready to repel the invaders.” It does not matter who is doing the attacking and where. It sounds well. An American battleship. sneaked into a southern port last week, through a non-existent minefield laid by a non-existent ship, refuelled and crept out again. The police have just rounded up a nest of spies throughout the country. Secret meeting places in various parts of the country have been raided and a large quantity of arms confiscated. No one knows exactly where, but has the information on the beut authority. The men and women who were caught are going to be shot on Saturday. And So It Goes On “Did you hear the one about the guard at a vital point in the country having to club a man who was attempting to blow up an important building? Yes, it is quite true. I know a man who knows the chap who did it. Yes, that is right. Another man was caught throwing a flare into a big oil depot in Wellington last week. “What? Two clubs? You know the Borough Council’s idea of a subway under Hamilton’s streets is really a plan for an air raid shelter. What’s trumps? My husband told me confidentially that big news can be expected any minute now. It affects New Zealand. If you do not tell anybody I will tell you now. . and so it goes on. “That was bad luck about that liner just been torpedoed, Jim? Yes, there were 20,000 people aboard, including many famous people escaping from England.” None of it is true but that does not matter. One sounds so important and knowledgable repeating it. “Secret agents have a powerful radio transmitter just out on the coast and they will be rounded up any minute.” It is what some people call a pastime, this further fraying of the nerves of your neighbour by dramatic stories. Try it some time and prove how clever and intelligent you are. RUMOURS, RUMOURS, RUMOURS.