T.A.B. Office Fire After Safe Blast

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31585, 24 January 1968, Page 26

T.A.B. Office Fire After Safe Blast

(New Zealand Press Association) PALMERSTON NORTH, January 23. An unsuccessful attempt to blow the safe in the Woodville T.A.B. office last night resulted in a small fire which caused minor damage to the building.

The blast Wist night blew the front platmpf the safe 20ft across the room. A mattress used to muffle the noise caught fire. It may have smouldered for some time before setting fire to papers and records strewn across tbe room by the blast. The Woodville Fire Brigade received a call at 4.10 a.m. A hose was poked through a window and the fire soon doused. The T.A.B. branch manager (Mr R. J Lebas) arrived shortly afterwards, and this morning the Palmerston

North branch manager (Mr G. R. Stuart) arrived to inspect the damage Residents did not hear anything suspicious during the night This morning the remains of the mattress continued to smoulder outside the T.A.B. office until doused by a jug of water. The office was damaged by smoke and water. A sign was put on the door: “No money, open tomorrow.” The safe is jammed shut, but Mr Stuart said the branch would open for business as usual tomorrow. It was the third attempt in five years to rob the Woodville office. In the second, a year ago, some was stolen, but the thieves were caught.