EXPLOSIVES IN DRAIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 298, 30 September 1935, Page 6

EXPLOSIVES IN DRAIN

GELIGNITE AND DETONATORS. DISCOVERY AT AUCKLAND. (Special to the "Guardian.”) AUCKLAND, Sept. 29. A large quantity of gelignite, some detonators, and a 15-foot collapsible ladder made of wire rope were found in a drain on the western side of the old Presbyterian cemetery in Symonds Street this afternoon. The discovery was made by. a boy. He reported the find to the police and they took charge of the goods. The discovery of the explosives and the ladder follows the finding of some gelignite and detonators in the cemetery last Tuesday. An employee of the City Council was attending a re-cently-dug grave when he unearthed the gelignite. The police were informed and four constables searched the cemetery yesterday but foxmd nothing more. The explosives found this afternoon were in a small leather kit bag which, with the ladder, was noticed by the boy in a ditch. It is thought likely that the bag is stolen property. In addition to the gelignite, which was wrapped in tissue paper, the bag contained 1 , a small reel box of detonators. There was no sign of any fuse. The ladder, which lias metal rungs, is of a type used for fire escapes in some hotels and apartment houses. The likelihsood of a connection between the gelignite and the recent activities of safe blowers in Auckland is receiving the attention of the police. The belief that the explosives were left in the ditch by criminals is strengthened by the finding of the ladder. There was nothing to indicate, however, whether the equipment had been hidden m the ditch for future use or whether it had bee» abandoned.