"PLANT OF GELIGNITE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 77, 1 April 1940, Page 5

"PLANT OF GELIGNITE

]S[EAR MILITARY GAMP

POSSIBILITY OF SABOTAGE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

'■)-:,, AUCKLAND, March 31, - A "plant" of gelignite was found a few weeks ago beside the Main Trunk railway where it passes the military camp near Ngaruawahia. There were 35 plugs of explosive, ■weighing five pounds, a quantity which, in competent hands, could cause, great destruction. '

The gelignite has been identified as that which was stolen from the Raglan County -.Council's store at Ngaruawahia early in February..; ; The discovery' was made by railway Workmen .when clearing growth of grass and scrub around a hut of the type moved from place to place^ to provide accommodation/ shelter, or storage.. '■: ;•'■ ■'•. ". -'v..' ■•.■ ■•■ ."..■ - ;

The gelignite had been placed carefully in a narrow space between the ground and the floor of the building. It was quite dry and was in perfect condition for : use. There ' were no detonators or fuse with it. The hut, which had not^ been occupied, stands ' at the side of the railway near the overhead, bridge at the entrance to the camp. Not far away there is a camp siding, from which a track curves into military land toa concrete gpods, shed, erected there a good many years ■\;ago.- ■■. ""-;" ',■■■■•'.' ' ..■: ■ -'... ••■■•■'. ■' ;:■■.■■•■ ■ :.-

The question, that ; immediately: prer sents itself is whether the thieves who secured the gelignite from the County Council's store had any* sinister intention from the point of view of the military authoriSies when they hid it so near the camp, where opportunity might be sought to blow up a track carrying a troop train or to destroy military material.