Mine fragment hits museum
Nearly 100 years after it was exploded on a Taranaki beach, a fragment of a First World War sea mine has landed in a museum.
Shrapnel said to be from a WWI German naval mine blown up on Oakura beach, near New Plymouth, nearly 100 years ago was meant to be sold off this Sunday in a Hospice Shop Antiques & Collectibles Auction.
But the charitable organisation instead turned it over to the city’s Puke Ariki Museum.
Social history curator Megan Wells said: ’’Sea mines are an interesting part of WWI and this shows they came to the shores of Taranaki.
‘‘Having a bit that was blown up enriches the history of it.’’
Tucked in a tiny antique metal matchbox along with a 1919 Taranaki Herald newspaper clipping that details the detonation, the mine memorabilia will be placed in the museum’s archives and potentially displayed in a future exhibition.
Wells said it could be difficult for people to envision the significant events that struck New Zealand’s coastline.
‘‘This is a small, big thing that could change that.’’
The newspaper article described the actions of local man John Kendall, who pulled the mine ashore.
Kendall then struck a match to ignite the fuse before sprinting for cover while 25 perplexed bystanders watched, the article said.
‘‘A violent report and shock caused the watchers to flinch involuntarily and after a second or so of quietness, the pattering of falling fragments was heard.
‘‘The hole left in the beach was bowl-shaped and almost twenty feet wide and four feet deep.’’
The blast from the 300-pound explosive device was said to have shaken houses more than 15 kilometres away in New Plymouth.
Wells said the bits of history would be wrapped in acid-free paper to prevent further degradation and would be displayed in an exhibition at some point in time.
‘‘We just had a WWI exhibition, which is a shame. But we’ll put up pictures and the story about it on the online catalogue.’’
The mine fragment, which was sitting amongst 300 other collectables, would have been sold to help raise $1.7 million for the charity trust to provide free palliative care to people in Taranaki.
However, it has been given to the museum’s collection instead - although staff have not left the auction to go without.
‘‘We at the museum recognise we’re taking something from the auction, so we’re making a donation to Hospice so they can continue to do the great work that they do,’’ Wells said.
Rose Whitaker, Hospice marketing and promotions coordinator, was only happy to contribute to the community. ’’It’s an important part of Taranaki history,’’ she said.
And the artefact has already been replaced by two classic, 1930s Ericsson phones. Whitaker described the items up for auction as ‘‘special-interest objects’’. Potential bidders who attend the event, held at The Devon Hotel Hobson Room on Sunday, April 9, could pick up uncommon objects for as little as $10 to high in the hundreds. A drunk man’s spell of dangerous driving lasted 30 minutes before he was pulled over by police.
The New Plymouth District Court heard it was probably ‘‘good luck rather than good management’’ that Brady Edward Falconer’s actions didn’t result in anyone being injured. Detective Sergeant Dave MacKenzie said about 9.30pm on March 16, Falconer was driving on State Highway 3A from Bell Block to Mountain Rd.
‘‘The defendant’s vehicle was seen to cross over the centre line on several occasions and was weaving all over the lane,’’ MacKenzie said. As he drove between the Te Arei Rd overbridge to the Lepperton turn off, Falconer’s speed was ‘‘well in excess of 100 kilometres per hour,’’ he said.
At one point Falconer was seen driving in the opposite lane and into the path of two oncoming vehicles. ’’He swerved back into his own lane narrowly missing a head-on collision with those vehicles and almost lost control of his vehicle in the process,’’ MacKenzie said.
As the defendant drove south, out of Inglewood, he passed a unmarked police car at speed. Police then followed Falconer and witnessed him cross the centre line several times before the defendant was stopped about 10pm. Falconer was breath tested and gave a reading of 636 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal alcohol limit is 250mcg.
‘‘In explanation the defendant said that he had drunk four Woodstock cans after work and didn’t think that he could be over the limit,’’ MacKenzie said. On Thursday, Falconer pleaded guilty to charges of drunk driving and driving in a dangerous manner. Lawyer Josie Mooney acknowledged the defendant’s driving had put people at risk.
She said a disqualification would impact on his work as an arborist and childcare related to his two children but he accepted it would be imposed.
Judge Chris Sygrove told Falconer his driving ‘‘fell well below the required standard’’ and said it was probably ‘‘good luck rather than good management’’ that nobody was hurt.
Falconer was ordered to complete 120 hours of community work and disqualified from driving for eight months.