• Published date: 19 March 2023

He carried on down the foyer towards the Coachworkers Union print room and placed the faded light-green suitcase, with its handle wrapped in cloth, on the ground behind a wall

On the other side of the wall, the Federation of Labour’s Wellington District Trades Council were set to spend most of their day discussing Prime Minister Robert Muldoon’s controversial wage freeze.

The suitcase sat undisturbed until 5.19pm, when Trades Hall caretaker Ernie Abbott was locking up for the day. Curious about the discarded luggage, Abbott picked up the suitcase — and triggered a mercury switch hidden inside. The explosion of the bomb killed Abbott instantly as the force tore through the passageway of the Vivian St building.

His beloved dachshund, Patch, somehow survived.

The Trades Hall bombing is believed to be one of the first examples of domestic terrorism in New Zealand, more than a year before the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior became synonymous with the phrase in the national consciousness.

The police investigation to determine who the man with the suitcase was started with more than 550 suspects and thousands of exhibits, but 39 years on detectives still do not have enough evidence to lay charges.

However, circumstantial evidence did point to one person, marine engineer Edgar Kidman, a former army sergeant with experience in handling explosives including gelignite.

The Herald on Sunday can reveal Kidman died in May 2021 with a cloud of suspicion hanging over his head. And for the first time, a transcript of his interview with police from the time can be shared.

“I can tell you honestly that I had nothing to do with the Trades Hall bombing,” Kidman told detectives.

The case remains open and police tell the Herald on Sunday they’re “very confident” they know who was behind it but for now, lack enough evidence to meet the Crown solicitor’s guidelines for prosecution.

Ernie Abbott lived in the caretaker’s flat on the roof of the Trades Hall building with Patch.

The three-storey building, completed in 1927, is neoclassical in design and is seen as the home of the Wellington union movement. Outside, above the door are engraved the words “Labor Omnia Vincit”, or “Labour Conquers All”.

Abbott’s role included getting rid of rubbish, and keeping public areas, including the bathrooms clean. If the lights went out or the lift needed fixing he would either do it himself or arrange for someone to come in.

Wellington Tramways Union secretary Henry Stubbs says Abbott was “totally committed” to the union movement, had been the vice-president of the Cleaners and Caretakers Union for several years and was made a life member of the union the day before his death.

“He was pretty cantankerous and could be a difficult curmudgeon from time to time, but a lovely guy, a nice smile and generous as.

“Whenever he won on the horses he would always donate some of his winnings … that was Ernie.”

Abbott had moved to New Zealand from the UK and was a sailor in the Merchant Navy.

The former secretary of the Wellington District Council of the Federation of Labour, Graeme Clarke, says Abbott was “just part of the furniture”, who was loved by the kids who would visit the hall and got on well with everyone.

“My most prominent memory of Ernie was arriving into my office, which was staffed by Poms, and World War III had broken out because Ernie had managed to get in some provocative word, picked an argument, got them all arguing with each other and disappeared.”

Former secretary to Trades Hall, Lynette Stutz, interacted with Abbott on almost a daily basis. She describes him as a dapper dresser who was “very union-oriented”, and pleasant, but also someone who loved to stir up an argument.

On March 27, 1984, Ernie Abbott began his daily routine at about 7am as he made his way down from his flat on the roof of the Trades Hall to the ground floor of the building, using the lift.

As caretaker for nearly 20 years, it was his job to open the front and back doors of the building, something he would usually have done by 7.15am.

The 64-year-old would then go about his morning, including letting Patch out to play in the park.

Meanwhile, Stubbs took the bus to work, getting off on Taranaki St and walking to the hall.

Before arriving he cleared the mail and...