Vandals Block Bridge

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30738, 30 April 1965, Page 3

Vandals Block Bridge

.' (N.Z. Press Association) WESTPORT, April 29. Police in Westport, Murchison and Reefton are searching for ■vandals who left a frail of destruction and damage in the Murchison and Upper and Lower Buller Gorge areas on Tuesday night. The vandals placed a bar-

ricade across the iron bridge in the Upper Buller Gorge which held up motorists for several hours yesterday morning.

They ripped wiring and rear vision mirrors from earthmoving machinery, damaged switchboards in road construction trailers and tipped out scores of gallons of oil and quantities of grease. In the Red Jacket area road workers’ tool boxes were opened and tools and clothing were stolen. A number of full 12 gallon

fuel drums and shovels was rolled 400 feet into the Buller river and a case of gelignite was partly opened and left on the road.

Machine operators 1 had to delay starting work yesterday morning while vehicles were checked for hidden explosives.

A police spokesman said today he could give no estimate of the damage. The police are seeking two youths who escaped from a State ward home at Takaka on Tuesday. They are believed to be driving a black 1948 Austin car from which the left hand bonnet is missing.