CARRYING EXPLOSIVE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1930, Page 9

CARRYING EXPLOSIVE

“GOLDMINING EXPERIMENT.”

COMMENT BY THE DENCH.

Kenneth McLean, a fisherman, aged 43, when arrested for drunkenness at Whangarei was 'found tp be in possession of five plugs of high explosive. On a charge,of drunkenness lie was .convicted and discharged v On a charge of. carrying gelignite except for a lawful and sufficient purpose ho was fined £5, in default one month’s imprisonment, by Messrs. C. R. Thornton and H. C. Hemphill, J.’sP. . . J.? Accused said the explosive was to be used for an experiment in goldmining on the Poor Knights, where it was thought there was a gold reef. A man gave the explosive to him for that purpose, but he did not know the man’s name, although he knew him- well. Accused said he was a fisherman by occupation. z ■■■ . ■ ' " ' In reply to Senior-Sergeant O'Grady McLean said he had never blown fish up with gelignite to obtain bait. “You are either a perfect fool or an accomplished liar,’’ said Mr. Thornton, “to go about - with that- explosive. 'lt shows that you are neither' a miner nor a, sensible man. It is a disgrace ,to the community that you. should be allowed to do so and own i/.prance of it. It makes me think that you are not the fool you appear to me.”

Accused asked for time for payment. “Get the man who gave -you the gelignite to help you,” said Mr. Thornton. . .