THREE EXPLOSIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1929, Page 2

THREE EXPLOSIONS

DAMAGE AND INJURY,

AUCKLAND, . July 27. Three cases of unusual explosions were reported to-day. An explosion occurred at the Wailii ‘Municipal Abattoir last evening subsequent to the placing of some coal in the furnace at the hot water plant. The front portion of the brick chimney was blown out and the upper portion was cracked. The manager, Mr C. Higgs, says coal was put in the furnace just before he left the works. Later he heard the noise of an explosion when lie was at his house, but owing to the fact that explosions are common in Wailii in connection with mining operations, he topic no notice. It was not until this morning that he discovered the damage. The opinion is expressed that the coal contained a plug or more of gelignite, as the explosion was a severe one. The explosion of a benzine iron caused commotion in the Star and Garter Hotel, Coromandel, last evening. A woman was engaged in ironing when the benzine flared up owing to a leak. She placed th<j lamp in the fireplace, and its explosion wrecked the grate, dislodged the mantelpiece and broke a large window opposite. No one was hurt. Severe burns on the face and hands were suffered by Miss Olive Lee, aged 19, through an explosion in a gas stove. Miss Lee was lighting the oven at her home at 82 Brown St. Ponsonby, this afternoon, when the gas, which had escaped through oire of the taps, exploded. She was taken to the Auckland Hospital.

AIRMEN FIGHT GRASSHOPPERS. RIGA, (Latvia) June 15. The enormV>us damage da used hy grasshoppers to tlie cotton crop in Turkestan will probably compel the Soviet Government to make unusually large purchases of cotton in Egypt and the United States according to the Moscow newspapers. They report tliait detachments of aeroplanes which have 'been bombing 'the Oklmra insugents are assisting the Red Army to restore Soviet power are now annihilating huge swarms of grasshoppers which have destroyed large areas of cotton, The Trans. Caspian Railway has been unable to run trains through the grasshoppers districts owing to the rails being so slippery, and the entire population has been mobilised to figth the plague.