WARNING REPEATED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 October 1943, Page 4

WARNING REPEATED

4 DANDER IN TOUCHING METALLIC OBJECTS WASHED UP ON BEACHES MAY CONTAIN POWERFUL EXPLOSIVES (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. It has become necessary to repeat the warning that persons finding metallic objects washed up on beaches should on no account interfere with them, or even approach them too closely. A few days ago the Army authorities were informed of the presence on a sea beach of a metal container which later was found to hold a powerful explosive charge. An examination by the personnel of a bomb disposal unit disclosed that some person had partly unscrewed a portion of the mechanism. Fortunately this had no effect on the contents, but had the charge exploded injury or loss of life would probably have been caused. The correct procedure for any person finding a suspicious object on a sea beach is to report its location to the nearest police station. A similar warning applies to the finding of unexploded shells. There have already been serious accidents in New Zealand during the present war as a result of interference with mines, etc., washed up from the sea, and it is important that all persons should be aware of the danger. A special endeavour should be made to impress on all children that objects found on beaches must be left severely alone.