HAVOC IN STATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21471, 20 April 1933, Page 8

HAVOC IN STATION

TERRIFIC EXPLOSION BURGLARS SHATTER SAFE BUILDING ALMOST WRECKED RUIN AND CONFUSION GELIGNITE FROM A MINE [by telegraph OWN correspondent] DUNEDIN, Wednesday The Abbotsford railway station building was almost reduced to a wreck last night by a burglar or burglars, who shattered the safe with a heavy charge of gelignite and stole a sum of £3B. When Mr. J. H. Grant, a member of the office staff, arrived at the station at 6.30 this morning ho met a scene of ruin and confusion. Mr. Grant's attention was immediately drawn to several broken windows, glass from which was strewn on both platforms. His first idea was that there had been a fire, but on looking through a window he saw that the safe was open. On entering the ticket office he found everything in wild disorder. A large hole had been blown in the door of the safe and nearly everything in the room, which measures 30ft. by 20ft., had been wrecked by what must have been a terrific explosion. Windows Smashed, Ceiling Lifted Papers and books were lying about the floor, 14 large windows had been blown right out, and the telephone switchboard had been forced from its position on the wall, while a large eight-day clock was smashed and partly dislodged. The ceiling had been lifted from the side walls, cracked and warped, and one wall was bulging outward to the extent of 6in. or Bin. Desks and chairs were broken, even some that were 20ft. from the safe. A coat belonging to the stationmaster, Mr. J. M. Stewart, had been deposited on the line outside. Here and there on the walls were cracks and holes where splinters of metal from the safe had been hurled against them. The safe itself was a wreck and a hole in the door, from which a large, jagged piece of steel had been hurled across the office, measured 15in. by lOin. Theft of Explosives It has been ascertained that yesterday afternoon 42 plugs of gelignite and 90 detonators were stolen from the Jubilee coal mine, a few miles distant from Abbotsford, and it is surmised that this is the explosive that was used by the burglar or burglars, whose work was clearly that of amateurs at safeblowing. Many residents within a mile of Abbotsford heard the noise of the explosion, and some of them rose from their beds and looked round their homes to see that nothing was amiss. Strangely enough, no one appears to have been so alarmed as to call for polite help. Detectives were early on the scene and remained in the locality throughout the day. It is anticipated that it will tsrke two or three weeks to repair the damage, which will run into some hundreds of pounds.