SHOOTING AT TEAM CARS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1506, 14 March 1887, Page 2

SHOOTING AT TEAM CARS

The following is wired to the Gbrlttchurch "Telegraph" by Ita Auckland correspondent:— A. day or so ago it wm reported that several «Dnduotors and drivers of late tram* going from town to Ponsonby had bee a startled by piatoli being fired at them while puslrg along tbo dark portion of Jervols road. It was then thonght that the firing wai simply the work of a number of larrikins, with a view to frightening the aondnoton of the trams. It has since transpired, however, from inquiries made that the affair is of a much more serious nature. The first shot was fired one night last week, bal it was not thought anything of at. the time. The firing being continued for two or three successive evenings, the men m charge of the trams began to look at the affair m a different light. As the eleven o'olock tram from town was pro* oeeding to the t table along Jervofs road on Saturday night, the driver. Brophy, wan suddenly startled by the firing of a shot, evidently fcum a pistol, m olose proximity to him. In faot the disoharge was at such close quarters that he was struck on the leg by a wad from a firearm 1% was tro dark to distinguish who fired the shot, bat the driver saw aoma one moving off among the scrub. On Monday n'gtit the elevoa o'olook tram from town to the stables was again' fired at. The oonduotor hoard the shot fired at olose quirtt rs, and the driver, Keith, also heard th* report, and distinctly heard something whizzing past his head. What it really was he cannot swear to, bat it wan so close to him that he felt a gust of air. Kean • •, the driver off duty, on returniug to the stables on the same evening vu also fired upon, and struck with something which he think* was lead. These shots were heard at the stables by the man m charge, and itisstatsd by three men who were passing by the belt of scrub m Jervois road on Monday night, that tbey saw a man rush out of tie scrub, point and fire a weapon deliberately at the car. They affirm that the weapon was a revolver, and they are also certain from the report that the pistol was loaded with a bullet. They are men familiar with arms, and are certain that their opinion is correct. This will account for the whizzing noise heard by the driver, Kearney. The polioe have now the matter m hand.