TRAM CAR SABOTAGED

Evening Star, Issue 25472, 1 May 1945, Page 7

TRAM CAR SABOTAGED

WILFUL DAMAGE TO MOTOR ONLY POSSIBLE FROM INSPECTION PIT (P.A.) CHTIISTCHURCH, April 30. Photographs w T ere produced at a meeting of the Christchurcli Tramway Board to-day in support of a report by the chairman, Mr W. S. Mac Gibbon; that deliberate sabotage had been carried out on one of the board's trams. , The photographs showed the commutator of a tramway motor deeply scored by a sharp instrument, a hole in the uudercasing of the motor housing, and a " jigger " or pointshifter believed to. have been used in damaging the motor. " I regret having to report that we are having a great deal of trouble with the electrical equipment of our trams," said Mr Mac Gibbon, On the morning of April 19, he said, a car was taken out of the sheds and. had proceeded only a short distance along Moorhouse avenue when the'"No. 2 motor became defective.

" Quite definitely malicious work had been done on the commutator itself," said Mr Mac Gibbon. An examination by the engineer and two members of the board showed that the motor had been interfered" with. It was quite obvious. that a " jigger " or some sharp instrument hadf been pushed through the bottom of the case to damage the armatures and the commutator. An examination of the end of the " jigger " showed that it corresponded with tiie impression left on the commutator.

" This is a very, very nasty thing to have to report, but damage was done by someone who knows the mechanism and with the object of putting tho car out of action," Mr MacGibbon said. . " On April 23 the matter was reported to the police, but so far no report has been received." In reply to questions by members of the board, Mr Mac Gibbon added that the damageeonld have been done only from the inspection pit in the board's sheds, and there was no doubt that it was done deliberately. The, cars were never left unattended at the sheds. \