Telegraph

Noumea's "Coconut Telegraph Saito and the American Treasure

Prom Our Own Correspondent T ul , , NOUMEA, Nov. 14.

HE French word “canard” means (1) a duck; (2) a piece of sugar dipped in coffee or brandy; or (3) an item of bogus news.

When one uses the word in New Cale donia it usually has the third meaning There is no place in the world where rumours with so little foundation in fact spread, or where the “coconut telegraph” does its work so quickly and inaccurately Some Governors have had to issue public gumbmty 8 condemning the Population’s Monday seems to be a day when people are particularly susceptible to rumours.

At least it was on a recent Monday that Saiko, a native of Lifou, in the Loyalty Group, told another native of his “dis covery” of a large sum of American money all in fifty dollar bills—in an iron wa shed up on the beach of the little isle named Mathieu in the vicinity of Noumea. (Later, other islands were also mentioned as possibilities, but th°se realty in the know were sure it was Mathieu.) This is the sort v of “wishful thinking” news that always runs fastest, and before long the whole town was talking about this sensational find. People were saying that Poor honest Saito had turned over the find to the Commissioner of Police who had only given him 25 francs reward!

J^ S ’fv? hey held ’ was a P erfect scandal, and there was a general howl of indig liness 11 omndss * oner>s niggard- By Tuesday morning the story was all ?! e p r the but, whereas in Noumea, the really well-informed said the find LTnortl? iM 70 ’ 000 ’ at ° ue S° a in the far north, it had grown to $270,000.

BY this time the French and American police were looking around for Saito Eventually, the French sleuths ran him to earth, and led him trembling to their police station, where he was told the reason for his arrest, and was ordered to answer questions about his famous dis covery. 4 ft + t r . some hesitation, he con fessed that this had only existed in his imagination. He had told the story to amuse himself and to “couillonner,” or hoax, a native child, who had spread the i ot ? er Uf()u b °ys until they SITO.OOo'or ?270,000 nljr s7 °’ oo °’

His explanation gave the “agents” a good laugh and finally they released him << h .„ a caution and his promise not to couillonner” anybody again.