MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 296, 12 November 1934, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

A SERIOUS CHARGE,

Before, Air J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerston North to-day Leonard Charles Martin, aged 37, a baker, of Foxton, faced a charge that on November 10, at Foxton, he did wilfully place an explosive substance, to wit, gelignite, in a tank with intent to destroy the tank. Detective Power asked that accused he remanded to appear at Palmerston North on Friday, November 16. The request was granted. Accused was not represented by counsel and there was no application for bail.

A second charge against accused, which was withdrawn at the request of Detective Power, was that on November 10, at Foxton, he did commit mischief by wilfully damaging a tank, the property of Edwin Few, valued at £8 10s.

FARMER INTERVIEWED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) FOXTON, Nov. 11. Some time during Friday night a new 1000 gallon tank belonging to Mr E. Few, of Norbiton Road, Foxton, was shattered by the force of an explosion and portion of the tank stand was damaged, but the water evidently had a deadening effect on the charge, and the shed was uharmed. The bomb, portion of which were recovered from the debris, was of home-made construction, gelignite being used as the explosive force, and' only a short length of fuse was attached to the detonator. The matter was reported to Constable R. Owen, and Detectives Alsop and Power, of Palmerston North, visited Foxton on Saturday. Interviewed by a “Standard” representative, Mr Few said that he was sleeping on the property at the time. Originally his home had stood on the farm but this had been destroyed by fire and consequently lie and his family had had to take up their residence in a house nearer town. He was engaged in dairy farming on the place and for the past week had been sleeping alone in a whare near the shed where the explosion occurred. At 10.15 p.m. on Friday his daughter called on him and intimated that she wanted some things from the shod. Together they had gone over and procured the articles required. Everything was then quite all right. He did not hear the explosion, which must have occurred during the early hours of the morning. On „oing over to the shed next morning ho discovered what had happened. One tank was completely shattered and damage was done to The stand which was of heavy construction with concrete piles Unfortunately he had lost the contents of both tanks and ‘would be seriously handicapped in providing the necessary water for his farm as both were full in anticipation of the summer. It appeared as if a bomb had been placed inside the tank. A neighbour i ~ iac upturn in e: from a dance at 1.50 on Saturday noticed that all the stock were very agitated at that tunc. The cows were running around and the dogs barking.