GELIGNITE FOUND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23619, 1 April 1940, Page 8

GELIGNITE FOUND

STOLEN EXPLOSIVE HIDDEN'UNDER RAILWAY HUT Ji HOPIiHOPU CAMP ENTRANCE: " Five pounds of. gelignite 'was foundv --; recently beside tlic Main Trunk rail--/. " way wiiere it passes the Hopuho;()u • military camp near Ngaruawahia. There.!'' were 3[ plugs of the explosive, a qurntity wjiicii in competent hands could cause j; reat destruction. Tho .-gelignite has been identified as that which was stolen from the Haglan: , County Council's store at Ngaruawahia .-f'VJ early i;i February. The discovery was made by railway worknvra when clearing grass and scrub around a hut of the type, moved from V • place lo . place to provide acconimcdation, jihelter or storage. The gelignite had been placed carefully in the narrow space between the ground and the floor of the building. It was dry and in perfect condition for use. There . were i:o detonators or fuse with it.- "■ The hut, which - had not been occupied, stands at tlie aide of the railway near Hie overhead bridge at the entrance to the camp. Not far away there is the camp siding, from which a track curves: into the military land to tho • concrete goods sheds erected there a ' good many years ago. A question that immediately presents'' itself is whether the thieves ivho ■ secured the gelignite from the County Council's store had an ntention sinister from the point of vi »w of the liiili- - tarv authorities when :hey hid it so near ihe camp.