DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 199, 20 February 1912, Page 7

DISTRICT NEWS.

TARURUTANGI. (From Our Own CorMepondent.)

On Friday afternoon Mr. Harold Arnold, of the enterprising firm of Okey, Son and Arnold, New Plymouth, gave a demonstration of blowing out stumps and trees by the powerful explosive gelatine. The place chosen for the demonstration was at the corner of King and Hursthouse roads, on the property of Mr. W. B. Bishop. A number of settlors turned out to witness the experiment. Several large pine stumps were charged and blown to atoms. The last to fall a victim to this wonderful power was a huge pine tree, about 40ft high and 15ft in circumference—a veritable giant of the forest that had defied the elements for ages, perhaps centuries. In a moment it was lifted from its bed and hurled'into the air, root and branch broken and split into matchwood, and all this accomplished without a hiteh. In fact, the whole performance was simplicity itself—another instance of brains over muscles. All those present were quite satisfied that in future large trees and stumps will not be got out by the old method of axe and spade, but by the more scientific method deseribed above. Many thanks are due to Mr. H. Arnold for giving these demonstrations in different places and showing settlers how to place the explosives and work the battery.