BOMB OUTRAGE IN CONTRACTORS’ CAMP

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3263, 5 February 1926, Page 7

BOMB OUTRAGE IN CONTRACTORS’ CAMP

Explosion Wrecks Occupied Room

NO REASON ASSIGNED FOB DASTARDLY ACT

[Per Press Association.]

AUCKLAND, Last Night

A dastardly outrage was perpetrated at Mission Bay, Kohimarama, early this morning, a bomb exploding with terrific force under the house occupied by two contractors and throe others. ' The room was partially wrecked and strewn with splintered wood and glass.

The sole occupant of the room under which the bomb was placed had ft narrow escape from serious injury. ‘ For the past four months, about 60 men have oecn employed In forming streets and carrying out drainage work on what is known os th e Mission Bay, estate, more familiarly known as tho old New Zealand flying school, which was for many years conducted by Walsh Bros.. The contractors arc Messrs. Qosse and Mullan, and both these men who are in charge of the . road-forming operations, reside In an old six-roomed house situated about 100 yards from the roadway, near the , ; Kohurnarama wharf. The house is •' $ partially surrounded by trees and is | only 20 yajjdu from the beach. Philip Henry Gosse occupied the

front room on the south-west corner,' while his partner/had the other front room. Thre 0 others employed on the job resided in the other rooms. All retired at about 9.50 last night, but . shortly after 12.30 thls'morning a ter- v rifle explosion occurred right under Mr. Gasso’s room, and caused-(the | whole house to tremble. A hole about five foet square was made in the floor of the room, the inch-thick flooring . boards being torn as If they had been w made of paper. Mr. Gosse was awakened by the explosion and at- i| though somewhat dazed and shaken, he got out of !>ed to investigate. Mr. | Mullan find the in the house rushed, into Mr. Gosse’s bedroom, which was full'of smoke and cement dust The windows were shattered, small pieces of glass being distributed all over the room. Fortunately, for • Mr, Gosse. ho was sleeplng about seven !| feet aWay from a gaping hole in the floor, under which the bomb was | placed. ’ ■ i ’,l Assisted by some men encamped on the settlement, Messrs. Gosse and Mul-. :■% lap immediately searched the vicinity, .i but wer e unable to obtain a clue ; as to the Identity of the criminal respon- /, sihle for the dastardly act. An examination of the premises showed that a portion of the woodwork which covered the brick piles supporting the ; house, was torn away, enabling the miscreant either to crawl several feet. • under th© room, or else push the bomb “ into the desired position with the aid; v j of a long: >tlck. Although there are || no fewer than 12 tents, each-contain- ;| ing several men, a dozen paces to the westward of the damaged room, none oc the occupants heard a sound until ’n the bomb exploded. Several sharp y missiles used la the construction of the bomb shot out in all directions. A some' tearing holes in the tents. m “I cannot account for the outrage v j at all,” said Mr. Gosse In conversation this .morning. ‘(At first, I thought that the house had collapsed. The - A building shook and trembled and dust ■ and smoke tilled my room. The force rfj of'the explosion dazed m© for a time. ■ , I cannot auggei-t any motive for the thing at all. I have paid a few y; men off from time to time, but I have not quarrelled with anybody and do ■ not know why any person should at- „ tempt such a thing as to Injure me " One of Mr. Gosse's employees said y that be had worked for him for\a long while and had always found him . "a decent sort of boss. While a rather ;J strict man. who will not , stand any ; nonsense, he is a very fair chap, who pays high wages." Immediately information of the out- , ? rage reached the polio© station this (M morning, Detective Barling went to g Kohimarama to Investigate the, matter. Under the house h© found about | eight feet of luse and the tangled remains of tho bomb. This contained; besides other things, a fair quantity of cement. ' I