MAMMOTH EXPLOSIONS

Evening Star, Issue 25226, 13 July 1944, Page 4

MAMMOTH EXPLOSIONS

HARBOUR PROTECTIVE MINES SET OFF GREAT SLAUGHTER OF FISH (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 12. With a series of mammoth, underwater explosions, which were watched with interest by hillside residents of Wellington to-day, some of the mines which have for long been protecting the harbour and, incidentally, incouveniencing Allied shipping, were blown up. The exploding mines, which were electrically set off shortly before midday, raised spectacular walls of water and shook the nearby hills. The sound of the explosions could be heard for a considerable distance. Many naval launches were present, as well as two of the Harbour Board's launches and several from the Wellington boat harbour.

Though the display was officially unheralded, a fair number of residents from miles away were among those who arrived to watch from vantage points. Owners of small boats later put out from tho shore, and they and also some professional fishermen spent the afternoon gathering a large_ harvest of dead and stunned fish, picking out' the fattest schnapper and teraTahi from tha large number floating on the surface. It took a very 6hort space of time to fill a dinghy, and many people made several trips during the course of the day, gathering more fish than it would seem possible for them to he able to dispose of. Every type of fish life inhabiting the Wellington Harbour came to the surface, tho smallest first. Some of the men who went out in boats said that it was upwards of an hour before really big 1 fish began to appear in numbers on the surface.