LAUNCH EXPLOSION

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 April 1938, Page 5

LAUNCH EXPLOSION

FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED (PER PtiEBS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND. April 19. That, there was foul play lying behind the explosion on his launch Huia at KrivMiu on Saturday is considered possible by Mr Andrew Donovan, who is al present, in the Auckland- Hospital suffering from severe burns. Mr' Donovan suffered' his injuries while preventing the spread of flames after a petrol lamp burst when his boat was lying in. Mansion House Bay. Kawau.

Referring to the threatening letter hinting disaster to his boat, which he received on Wednesday. Mr Donovan said 1 he did not think foul play probable, but. it. could not be ruled out as a possibility. He had' .just turned the lamp off, and it. was burning low when it exploded. It was hard to understand why, if there had not. been any explosive in the lamp, it had not gone off before. The lamp, which was about, six months old. had not given any trouble before. As the boat had been left: lying unattended for about three hours it would have been possible for anyone to go aboard and interfere with it, particularly as it was not locked away. However, Mr Donovan said he was still inclined to think that the, explosion , was accidental. The police interviewed Mr Donovan to-day in their inquiries regarding the’ threatening letter which he received.