THE GREYMOUTH OUTRAGE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 3 June 1919, Page 5

THE GREYMOUTH OUTRAGE

ATTACK ON A POLICE OFFICER'S

HOUSE.

Details are given by a special correspondent of the attempt recently mad© at Greymouth to blow up ahe house of Senaor-Sergt. fciinpson, of the local police force.

The rear of the house after the ex-' plosion resembled a building that 'had been bombed by an aeroplane. Senior-Sergt. Simpson stated that he was awakened by the sound of the explosion, breaking glass, and the swaying of the house on its -foundations. The pictures in every room were thrown, from the walls while every piece of crockery was and a glass door in the hall, some distance from the origin of the explosion, was cracked.

There was cliaos ,in the kitchen. The j back wall, which is at the rear of the f house. \vf:s literally •spiiii'iered, solid I 4 x 2 studs being torn out of their positions find hurled across the room to the opposite wall. The mantelpiece was loosened and hanging, white a back"window urn blown clean out, the broken glass .being scattered all over the yard. There was -a strong cupboard against the <wall in the kitchen, this wall -being the-, partition between the kitchen and a bedroom occupied by Mrs Simpson r.ncl an infant. The front -of the cupboard was broken in by .soin? of the debris .which was thrown across the room, and had it not been for this cupboard it is cer-fain-^ha'fc several pieces of 4 x 2 timber would have penetrated the wall into Mrs Simpson's room. There was | a quantity glass and crockery in^ this cupboard, but nothing -was leff j whole, and the way in which the cup- ! board was wrecked indicates the force J with iwhich the timber must have been! thrown.

The oharge was apparently placed in the angle formed by the brick kitchen chimney and the wall of the house, while it would be further confined by a large water-tank standing clcse to the chimney. The charge was therefore enclosed by the tank and the chimney, and placed close up against the wall. The exact position of the charge was shown by a piece of brick which, was blown off the chimney. On the inside, up against this rear wall, was a bench and sink, which were torn away and thrown on the floor, the woodwork being splintered. An iron coal-scuttle was flattened out, as though it were tin, and a poker was forced through it. The water-taps and the pipes were broken clean off —in fact, the Boor of the kitchen was completely covered with rubbish.

Apparently the perpetrator of the>] outrage had a fuse attached to the . charge in order to allow him to make his own escape. The condition of the house as a result of the explosion in- j dicated fairly that a big charge of explosive must have been used, and the fact that the explosion was heard at such a great distance also suggests a big charge. It is evident that the deed was carried out with criminal intent, and it is fortunate that the inmates escaped injury. It is stated that this is the first occasion in New Zealand upon which an attempt has been made on the residence of a police officer^ There seems no reason why Senior Sergeant Simpson should be"selected for the perpetration of this outrage, as he is very popular with all with whom he comes into contact in the execution of his ! duties.