DASTARDLY OUTRAGE

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 112, 5 February 1926, Page 8

DASTARDLY OUTRAGE

BOMB PLACED UNDER HOUSE A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION OCCUPANTS’ NARROW ESCAPE By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, February ’4. A dastardly outrage was perpetrated at Mission Bay, Kohlniarama, early this morning, a bomb exploding with ■ terrific force under a house occupied by two contractors and three others. ■The room was partially wrecked « and strewn with wood and glass. The sole' occupant . of the • room under which thq bomb was placed had a narrow escape from serious . injury. > •’ u’For the past few months about_ 60 men have, been employed in forming streets and carrying out drainage work on what is known as the Mission Bay Estate, more familiarly known as the “Old New Zealand Flying School,” which was for many years conducted by the Walsh Bros. The contractors are Messrs. Gosse and Mullan,' and both these ’ men, who are in charge of the road-forming operations, reside in an old six-roomed house, situated about 100 yards from the roadway, near the Kohimarama Wharf. The house is partially surrounded by trees, and is only 20 yards from the beach. Phillip Henry Gosse occupied the front room on the sou’-west corner, while his partner had the other front room. Three others employed on the job resided in the other ’rooms. A Rude Awakening. All retired about 9.30 last night. Shortly after 12.30 this morning a terrific explosion occurred right under Gosse’s room. This caused the whole house to tremble. A hole about five feet square was made in the floor of the room, the inch-thick flooring boards being torn as if they had been made of paper. Gosse was awakened by the explosion, and although somewhat dazed and shaken, he got out of bed to investigate. Mullan and the others in the house rushed in to Gosse’s bedroom, which was full of smoke and cement dust. A Narrow Shave. Windows were shattered, small pieces of glass being distributed all over the room. Fortunately for Gosse he was sleeping about seven feet away from the gaping hole in the floor under which the bomb had been placed. Assisted by some of the men encamped on the settlement, Gosse and Mullan immediately searched the vicinity, but were unable to obtain a clue as to the identity of the miscreant responsible for the dastardly act. An examination of the premises showed that portion of the woodwork . which covered the brick piles supporting the house was torn away, enabling the evil-doer either to crawl several feet under the room or else push the bomb into the desired position with the aid of a long stick. Although there were no fewer than 12 tents, each containing several men, a dozen paces to the westward of . the damaged room, none of the occupants heard a sound until the bomb exploded. Several sharp missiles used in the construction of the bomb shot out in all directions, some tearing holes in the tents. Inexplicable Occurrence. “I cannot account for the outrage at all,” ' said Mr. Gosse, this morning. “At first,l thought the house had collapsed. The building shook and trembled, and dust and smoke filled mv room. The force of the explosion dazed me for a time. _ I cannot suggest any motive for the thing at all. I have paid a few men off from time to time, but I have not quarrelled with anybody, and do not know why any person •should attempt such a thing as to in-' iure me.” One of Gosse’s employees said lie had worked for Gosse for a long while, and had always found him “a decent sort of boss.” “While rather a strict man who will not stand any nonsense, he is a very fair chap who pays high wages,” the man added. Cement Found in Bomb. Immediately news of the outrage reached the Police Station this morning. Detective Barling went to Kohimarama to investigate the matter. Under the house he found about eight feet of fuse, and the tangled remains of the bomb, which contained, besides other things, a fair quantity ot cement.