Bomb Hoax Parcel In Dimedin

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29744, 10 February 1962, Page 13

Bomb Hoax Parcel In Dimedin

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, Feb. 9. Suspecting that a parcel which he had received could have contained a bomb. Mr R H. Evatt. general manager of the Commercial Trading Company, Maclagsan street, Dunedin, called the police. Experts soon found that the parcel was a hoax. “This is not the kind of humour that I appreciate. I think that the police have a big enough job without bothering them with things like this. I prefer not to say anything about it,” Mr Evatt told reporters today.

Detective-Inspector G. W Alty. chief of the Dunedin C. 1.8., and Detective-Sergeant A. I. Knapp, who is heading the homicide souad investigating the parcel bomb murder of Mr J. P. Ward, said the police could obviously not afford to discount the poss ; bility of another such bomb.

“If we receive any information suggesting a second bomb, we will act with promptitude.” said Mr Alty. They preferred not to comment on the details of the hoax parcel, which was obviously not intended to have been taken as seriously as it was.

Detectives are not watching parcels as they flow through the Ch’ef Post Office. “There woud be no point in this —

you couldn't easily tell one oarcel from another,” said Mr Alty. The homicide squad has worked for 16 hours a day during its investigation. According to Mr Knapp, detectives today cleaned up most of the routine inquiries and are near the end of the search for scientific evidence. “We are very close to completing our work in Mr Ward’s rooms. By Monday or Tuesday we should be ready to hand the rooms back to the firm,” Mr Alty said. Since Monday, police have maintained a 24-hour vigil outside the rooms. This will be maintained until the squad is satisfied it has gleaned everything of any help. Inquiries have spread to other parts of the country, but both spokesmen insisted this was only part of routine detection methods. The most intensive part of the inquiry has been in Dunedin.