Something Startling.

Manawatu Herald, 6 August 1903, Page 3

Something Startling.

A startling discovery was made a few days ago at Wollongong, New South Wales, The twelfth of July c, was celebrated in that township for jipthe first time for many years by a tea and public meeting. The public meeting took place in the Town Hall and there was a crowded audience, the Rev. Dr Dill Macky having been announced as one of the .speakers. While the audience was crushing into the building two letters were placed in the hands of-the

doorkeeper. One was addressed to the sergeant of police j the other to the chairman (Mr Grice), the Deputy-Grand Master of the local Orange Lodge. Mr Grice found on opening his communication that it contained a warning to those taking part in the meeting to be carreful, as a bomb had been placed in the hall, timed to go off at half-past eight o’clock, the object being to blow Dr Macky up for scoffing at at the Roman Catholic religion. This warning was given, the letter explained, in order that the people who attended the meeting should not be made to suffer with the guilty. Dr Macky was told what the communication contained, and read the letter without giving any indication of its contents to those around. He thought there might be something in the warning which had been given, and the police were thereupon informed, and a systematic search was entered upon. Sergeant Irwin and a member of the local Artillery Corps discovered beneath the platform what is described as an “ingeniously-constructed piece of mechanism,” immediately underneath where Dr Macky was standing. The discovery caused a great deal of excitement amongst the members of the committee, but on the “ bomb ” being carried a safefdistance from the hall, and placed in a bucket of water, the excitement subsided, and the meeting was proceeded with without anyone except those on the platform being aware of what had taken place. On investigation, however, the bomb proved to be harmless, its contents being non-explosive. Someone had apparently perpetrated a silly hoax.