DASTARDLY OUTRAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12363, 5 February 1926, Page 6

DASTARDLY OUTRAGE

BOMB PLACED UNDER HOUSE OCCUPIED BEDROOM WRECKED INMATE ESCAPES INJURY Per Preeo Association. AUCKLAND, February 4. A dastardly outrage was perpetrated at Mission Bay, Kohimarama, early this morning. A bomb exploded with terrific foicn under the house occupied by two contractors and three 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 a narrow escape from serious injury. For the nast few months about 60 t men have been employed in forming streets and carrying out drainage work on what is known as th© Mission Bay Estate, but more familiarly known as th© Old New Zealand Flying School, which was for many years conducted by Walsh Bros. The contractors are Messrs Gosse 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 th© Kohimarama wharf. The house is partially surrounded by trees, and is only 20 yards from the beach. Mr Phillip Henry Goss© occupied the front room on the sou’-west corner, while liis partner had the other front room. Three others employed on the job resided in other rooms. AH retired about 9.30 last night. TERRIFIC EXPLOSION Shorty after 12.30 this morning a terrific explosion occurred right under Mr Gosse* room. This caused tho whole house to tremble. A hole about five feet square was made in the floor of the room; ,the inch-thick flooring hoards being torn as if they had been made of paper. Mr Goss© was awakened by the explosion, and although somewhat daoed and shaken lie got out of bed to investigate. Air Mullan and th© others in the house rushed into Mr Gosse* s bedroom which was full of smoke, cement, and dust. The windows were shattered, small pieces of glass being distributed all over th© room. Fortunately for Mr Gosse he was sleeping about seven feet away from the gaping hole in the floor, under which the bomb was placed. Assisted by some of the men encamped on the settlement, Mr Gosse and Mr Mullan immediately searched the vicinity, but were unable to obtain a clue as to th© identity of the criminal responsible for the dastardly act. An examination of the premises showed that a portion of the woodwork, which covered brick piles supporting the house was torn away, enabling the miscreant to either crawl several feet under the roam or else push the bomb into the desired position with th© aid of a long stick. Although there are no less than twelve tents, each containing several men, a dozen paces ato th© westward of the damaged room none of the occupants. heard a sound until the b<>mb exploded. Several sharp missiles, used in the construction of th© bomb, shot out in all directions, some tearing holes in the tents. UNACCOUNTABLE “I cannot account for the outrage at all,” said Mr Gosse in conversation this morning. “At first I thought that th© house had collapsed. Th© building shook and trembled, and the dust and smoke filled my room. The fore© of the explosion dazed m© for a time, t cannot suggest any motive for the thing at all. I have paid a few men off from time to time, but I have not quarrelled with anybody, and do not knew why any person should attempt such a thing as to injure me.” One of Air Gosse’s employees said that he had worked for Mr Gosse for a long while, and had always found him “a decent sort of boss.” “While a rather strict man who will not stand any nonsense, he is a very fair chat) who pays high wages,” the man added. Immediately information of the outrage reached the police station this morning, Detective Barling went to Kohimarama to investigate the matter. 'Under tho house he found about eight feet of fuse and tho tangled remains of tho bomb. This contained besides other things a fair quantity of cement.