CHIPS AND SPLINTERS

Southland Times, Issue 19501, 16 March 1925, Page 8

CHIPS AND SPLINTERS

CHAOS IN CROCKERY SHOP.

A DELUGE OF BROKEN GLASS,

(Per United Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, March 14.

A peculiar and costly accident occurred about noon yesterday at Melvern’s Household Stores in Karangahape Road. Without any warning the shelving on one side of the shop, to a length of about 100 feet, heavily laden with all manner of goods, came adrift from the wall and fell in towards the centre of the shop. Fortunately a line of iron piping several feet in front of the shelves and about seven feet from the floor arrested the falling shelves, and probably saved the attendants and shoppers from serious injury. The shelves were like a bookcase with weighty tiers and the pins pulled out from the concrete wall about the centre of the room, where hardware was stored.

In a second the whole line was tottering and goods were precipitated over the floor and counters with a resounding crash. Fortunately only two attendants w’ere behind the counter and they managed to get out of the way of the falling goods. The counters comprised ?ix glass showcases, all of which were full of various articles, including the most expensive in the place. Four of these showcases, valued at £5O each, were shattered and their contents transformed to debris. The damage will run into thousands of pounds and there is no covering insurance. *