IMAGINATIVE BOYS

Evening Star, Issue 25927, 19 October 1946, Page 6

IMAGINATIVE BOYS

EXPLOSION IN SAWDUST HEAP BOMB STORY FABRICATED (P.A.) ROTORUA, October 19. The explosion which injured two schoolboys at Rotorua on Sunday evening, October 6, has had an unexpected sequel. , The boys—John Maskery (14) and Desmond Lavery (12), both of Rotorua—were playing in a sawdust heap at Curry’s sawmill in the old Taupo road, two miles from the town, at about 6 o’clock, when there was an explosion. People who were nearby rushed to the scene to find both suffering from burns to the face and arms, while there was an area -of burned sawdust testifying to the violence of the explosion. The boys stated that they had been approached by four other youths, who threw a “ bomb ” at-them and disappeared in the scrub, but although these youths must have approached to within 25 yards to throw the missile they were unable to identify anyone. Extensive police inquiries failed to elicit a clue to the supposed assailants, and after questioning at the Rotorua hospital by a police officer they admitted that their story was a fabrication. 'What had really happened, they said, was that they had gained ingress to the mill and secured, a quantity of blasting powder, which they took outside in a jar. They , were burning! small quantities of this m the open air when a spark fell into the jar and the whole lot blew' up. The boys have made a good recovery from their injuries.