BIG WINDOWS SMASHED IN TOWN HALL BLASTING WORK

Grey River Argus, 2 September 1948, Page 2

BIG WINDOWS SMASHED IN TOWN HALL BLASTING WORK

£2OO Worth Of’ Damage Done

When a shower of stones, averaging an inch in diameter, Hew from tne rear walls of the Greymouth Town Hall during blasting operations at 3.15 p.m. yesterday, further extensive damage to plate glass windows was done. With a noise somewhat like tne firing of a tommy-gun, the stones flew straight in the direction oi Beath’s Ltd., and made holes or varying sizes in five of the plate glass windows, each valued at about £35. On the previous day, a plate glass window at Truman’s Ltd., was destroyed. and this was valued at £lO. In addition to plate glass windows, three other windows on the upper storey were penetrated by the ilymg stones, and it is estimated that t he total damage to windows in the vicinity, since operations were commenced is about £2OO. BLASTING STOPPED

As soon as the explosion occurred, the police and the Borough Engineer, Mr A. J. Fairmaid, were on the scene, and shortly afterwards, the manager of Beath’s Ltd., Mr F. P. Fogarty, was advised that further blasting operations had been stopped. It is understood that the police could only act on a complaint, and if this is not made, it is necessary for the local authority to act. . , Mr Fairmaid stated last night that he had given instructions for the blasting to cease until the return of the contractor, Mr B. F. Cummings, who left last week, for Suva, Fiji. Consequently operations may be held up for some time. The explosion, which was the only one set off yesterday, was watched by a large crowd of people, and workers on the Town Hall job stopped traffic and pedestrians from approaching past Albert, Tarapuhi and Guinness Streets in the direction of the Town Hall corner.

REPLACING PLATE GLASS Fortunately for the firms concerned, there will be no difficulty in securing new plate glass replacements, it was stated yesterday by a leading firm dealing in glass. There were ample stocks in New Zealand at the present time. One Mackay Street shopkeeper, who displays stocks of high values, arranged late in the afternoon for a large tarpaulin to be place from the verandah of the shop to protect the windows against flying debris. However, probably assured that no further blasting would be done, the shopkeeper removed the tarpaulin later. With blasting operations suspended, the sub-contractor, is faced with a difficult problem in demolishing the tower, and it may not now be removed from its proud position in Mackay Street to-morrow, as was originally intended.