Munitions Peril Now Negligible

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 69, 13 June 1927, Page 9

Munitions Peril Now Negligible

DEVONPORT FEARS NARROW NECK DEPOT THE danger to Devonport through storage of naval munitions at North Head and Mount Victoria will be ameliorated, it is predicted, when a new storage depot is completed at Fort Takapuna, Narrow Neck. The Devonport Borough Council baa long felt that the presence of ammunition dumps in residential areas constituted a menace to life and property, but in a reply to its communication the Minister of Defence, the Hon. J. C. Rolleston. has expressed- the opinion that the storage of naval munitions does not constitute an undue hazard. A new depot is now under construction at Narrow Neck, and its ultimate purpose will be to accommodate all naval munitions, including those now stored at Mount Victoria. Both forts were inspected on Saturday by Commodore G. T. C. P. Swabey, commodore commanding the New Zealand naval station. Mr. C. Aldridge, Mayor of Devonport. Mr. H. A. Campbell, a member of the Devonport Borough Council. Mr. A. Harris. M.P. for Waitemata. and Captain Bradley and Lieutenant Lingard. naval base officers. Later. Mr. Campbell stated that the party was satisfied that the risk to the borough was negligible. The munitions were stored in an efficient manner in separate concrete chambers, ami only a very heavy detonation would cause an explosion.