GAOL QUARRY BLASTING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 182, 3 August 1944, Page 2

GAOL QUARRY BLASTING

DANGER TO SCHOOLBOYS

"If the community has to choose between employment for the prison, inmates and the safety of the boys, then the safety of the boys comes first," said Professor H. Belshaw, at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Grammar School Board, in reference to an explanation received- from the superintendent of the Auckland prison, Mr. W. Leggett, concerning an incident on June 16 when a piece of metal plate flew into the Auckland Grammar School grounds during blasting operations at the prison quarry. The missile, which was about 6in long and 4in wide, narrowly missed one of the masters. Mr. Leggett said that only small charges were used in breaking up pieces of rock on the quarry floor in preparation for spawltng, but the prison authorities had been forced to work with old blasting plates, owing to the difficulty of obtaining new ones. A sentry overlooking the school grounds invariably gave a warning when the blasting was about to be commenced, and the school authorities, said Mr. Leggett, should have the grounds cleared when the warning was given.

Professor Belshaw said that it was too much to expect teachers to ensure that no boys were about when the charges were fired. He added that they could not evade responsibility if anything happened. The board decided to refer tha matter to the Minister of Prisons.