CEMETERY FIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 11

CEMETERY FIND.

"NEARLY DUG GRAVE."

GELIGNITE AND DETONATORS.

GRAFTON POLICE SEARCH. Ail employee of the reserves department of the City Council on Tuesday afternoon nearly "dug his own grave" in the old Presbyterian cemetery, which is situated in the gully on the city side of Symonds Street. The workman was attending to a recently-dug grave near a camellia tree, and was using a fork in the soft clay soil, when the tool unearthed two plugs of gelignite which had been "planted" in the shade of the tree. Further investigation was made, and the man later found a box of detonators close to where the "jelly" had, been hidden. He had a narrow escape. If one of the sharp tines of the fork had come into contact with the detonators, no doubt he would have been blown to pieces. The find was reported to the police. It was thought that perhaps one of the gang of safe-breakers which recently operated in Auckland and the suburbs had used the cemetery as a depot for the storage of his explosives, and also some of the loot which burglars had stolen from city premises during the last few months. Accordingly a thorough search of the cemetery on both sides of Symonds Street and below Grafton Bridge is being made by detectives and constables.

This morning a detective and three constables carried out an intensive search of the gully, studded with graves, tombstones and vaults, which offer excellent hiding places. So far nothing has been found. The cemetery where the gelignite and detonators were found is not more than 200 yards from the rear of the three-storeyed building of James Pascoe, jeweller, which was entered a few weeks ago, when jewellery and gold valued at £2000 was stolen.

It is recalled that several years ago thieves made use of an old vault in which to store the proceeds of robberies. The culprits, who were arrested and dealt with, stored a large quantity of loot in the vault and also slept in it for several nights.