WANTON DAMAGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20571, 3 June 1941, Page 4

WANTON DAMAGE

WOOLSTORE WINDOWS RIVERFRONT MISCHIEF Windows of the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ Frozen Meat and Mercantile Company’s wool stores in Read’s quay and Nesbitt road suffered severe damage during the week-end, presumably as the result of stone-throwing by hooligans who used the railway right-of-way as an approach, and covered their operations by keeping to the seaward aspects of the two buildings. In all, 45 to 50 panes of glass were smashed, and some windows, containing several panes of glass, were completely demolished. The cost of repairs is less important than the damage done to work recently carried out by the Public Works Department to prepare one of the two buildings for use by military units and the Home Guard, screens made for this purpose having been torn and broken by the stone-throwing. A considerable amount of wool was in the stores over the week-end, and had it rained damage to the wool probably would have resulted. Fortunately the weather continued dry. Police inquiries are now afoot, and those who committed the mischief face the possibility of prosecution not only for the wilful damage, but also for trespass on the Railway Department's property. Notices are posted on the right-of-way prohibiting its use by pedestrians, and breach of this prohibition carries a substantial penalty.