Mt. Vic Hooters

"**Mt. Vic Hooters**" is the third episode of the second series of *Wellington Paranormal*, and the ninth episode overall. It aired on 30 October 2019.

## Synopsis

Minogue and O'Leary unwittingly free the ghost of an old fashioned cop from the 1930s. Can they stop him before he shuts every pub in Wellington for being open after 6pm closing time?

## Plot Summary

Acting upon complaints from locals about the constant horn tooting in Mount Victoria Tunnel, O’Leary and Minogue put up a sign at the tunnel entrance stating “PLEASE DO NOT USE YOUR HORN UNNECESSARILY”. The officers find a man on the ground, who said he had just been knocked off his scooter by what appeared to be an old-fashioned cop with smoke coming off him. As the man scoots away, a ghost cop matching the description suddenly appears and then vanishes upon walking into O’Leary and Minogue, leaving an exhaust fume smoke behind.

At the station, Sergeant Maaka speculates that the horn tooting in the tunnel may have deterred supernatural entities. He receives a report of a commotion in a pub in Mount Cook involving the same policeman.

O’Leary and Minogue head to Mount Cook to an apartment block that used to be a police station. They find the front door ajar and enter to find three students locked behind prison bars in a room. One of the students recalls that the cop called her a “dirty harlot” because of her clothes and locked them in the cell. The old-fashioned policeman suddenly appears and insults the cops’ hats, mocking O’Leary for being a female officer. He declares he will put Wellington back to the way it used to be before disappearing into wall. The prison bars disappear, freeing the students.

The two officers drive back to the station, furious at being insulted. Maaka reveals that the ghost is Officer Bill Miller, who died while on traffic duty issuing tickets in Mount Victoria tunnel during the 1930s. Maaka describes more reports he received of Miller threatening members of the public in bars near the areas he used to patrol. Maaka directs them to Cuba Street, the last place he used to frequent.

O’Leary and Minogue enter a bar in Cuba Street, where Miller appears and threatens to shut down the pub for being open after 6pm. The officers confront him outside and he beats them with his baton before walking through a wall again. Maaka arrives and asks them to meet him at Wellington Botanic Garden, where Miller used to end his shift.

At the top of the garden, Minogue and O’Leary hear Miller’s whistle from the bottom of the hill. They slowly pursue Miller via cable car. At the bottom of the hill, they find Miller harassing a dog walker. Maaka arrives and lures Miller away with malicious bell ringing. The officers follow the chase in their car and eventually catch up with them at Mount Victoria Tunnel. There, O’Leary informs Miller that he is no longer a police officer, leaving him upset. To keep his sense of purpose, Maaka puts Miller on duty to patrol the tunnel, on the condition that he remain invisible and not use his whistle. Miller accepts and vanishes upon being driven into by a car. Minogue covers the “DO NOT” on the sign, thus resuming the tooting and keeping all spirits at bay.

## Cast

* Mike Minogue as Officer Minogue
* Karen O'Leary as Officer O'Leary
* Maaka Pohatu as Sergeant Maaka
* Mark Mitchinson as Ghost Cop Miller
* Nigel Harbrow as Cable Car Driver
* Jack Sergent as Scooter Guy
* Olivia Parker as Student

## Production

* This episode was inspired by a real-life controversy surrounding Mount Victoria tunnel, where it is tradition for drivers to toot their horns as they drive through. In January 2019, then-Wellington City Councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman attempted to stop drivers from doing this as it annoyed pedestrians.

## References

1. ↑ "New Zealand Television: Wellington Paranormal: episode guide" - Australian Television Information Archive
2. ↑ "Wellington Paranormal episode explores car horn tooting in Mt Victoria Tunnel" - Stuff.co.nz