BOMB UNDER HOUSE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 5 February 1926, Page 5

BOMB UNDER HOUSE.

TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. SLEEPING OCCUPANT’S NARROW ESCAPE. (.Li TELEGRAPH Prt S ASSOCIATION. 4 aUCTvIa.NP, xeo. a. i< urtiier details nave oeen gathered ■ji tne uasunoiy outrage which was i'X- a traced at Aiission nay eauy tins • I LeiTiuc lorce under a noase otcu--1 t ,.ca uy two contractors ana turee ' ..tiicrs. 'rue room was partiaiiy wretit-v-u and strewn w-.tu splintered wood and gius». me sox* occupant of tne loom under which tne uomu was piueeo iiati a narrow escape from serious iuP>ry. ror the past few months about 00 men Have oeen employed m lonmiig, streets and eairymg out drainage worn mu wiia-t is known as ALisswn joay p.statr, more ramiiiaiTy Known as me old New /.eauiiid dying which was lor many years conduc-ced oy .viessrs i\ aisu Bros. lHe contractors are .Messrs vjicsse and .umlan, and ootii tnese men, who aie in cnarge ox tne roau-ionniiig operations, reside .in an oia six-ioonitd iiouse situated about tuO yarns ltom tne roadway near Avonilnarama wnan. JHe nouse is partially surrounded Oy trees, and is only twenty yarns iroin tne beach. Air r'liiiup He my ‘uosse occupied the Lout room on tne so tun-west corner, wnue ins partner nad tne otner iront loGm. iii.ee otners employed on tne j-oo resided m me otner looms. Ah letirect about -J.HO fast nigne. siiorciy alter lE. 30 tins morning it 'terrific explosion occurred rignt under Air uossa's loom. This caused tlie whole House to tremble. A Hole about five leet square was made in the floor ot tne room, tne inch thick ncoring boards oeing torn as n they Had been made ot paper. _ wlr Gossc was awakened by the explosion, and although somewhat dazed and shaken, he got out of bed to investigate. Air Aruliaii and the otners m tne house' rushed into Air Gosse s bedroom, which was full of smoke and cement dust. Tlie windows were shattered, small pieces ol glass being distributed ail over the room, fortunate-

iv for _Vlr Gosse lie was sleeping about seven feet away from the gaping Irene J in the floor, under which a bomb had A been placed. Assisted by some of the men encamped on the settlement, Messrs Gosse and Mullan immediately searched the vicinity, but were unable to obtain a clue as to the identity of the criminal responsible for the dastardly act. An examination of the premises sflowed that a portion of the woodwork which covered the brick piles supporting the house was torn away, enabling the miscreant to crawi several teef under the room or else to push the bomb into the desired position with the aid of a long stick. Although there are no less than 12 tents, each containing several men, a dozen paces to- the westward of the damaged room, none of the occupants heard a sound until the bomb exploded. Several sharp missiles used in the construction of the bomb shot out in. .all directions, smile tearing holes In the tents. “1 cannot account ior the outrage at ul!,” said Mr Gosse in conversation this morning- At first J. thought tluit the house had collapsed. The building shook and trembled, and dust and smoke lilled my room. The force of the explosion dazed me for a time. 1 cannot suggest any motive lor the thing at all. I have paid a few men off from time to time, hut 1 have not quarrelled with anybody and do not know why any person should attempt sue ha thing aj to injure me. ’ One of Mr Gosse’s employees said that lie had worked for Mr Gosse lor a long time and had always found him ‘‘a decent, sprt of boss.” “While rather a strict man, who will not stand any nonsense. He is a very fair chap, j mid pays high wages.” - Immediately information of the out--'iage reached the police station this morning Detective Barling went to Kohimaratna to investigate the matter. Under the house h e found about eight feet of fus© and the tang'ed remains of the bomb. This contained, besides other things, a fair quantity of cement.