"A man's pair of trousers exploded with a loud report. Fortunately the owner was not in them at the time" the North Island’s Hutt News printed on August 12, 1931. "Although dazed by the force of the explosion, was able to seize the garment, which was hanging before the fire, and hurl it out on to the grass outside.

“There is nothing visible to warn the owner that the affected portion of the dried out clothing may catch fire (or even explode) by coming near a fire (there need not be actual contact with flame or spark), or by friction, or by the concussion of a sudden blow. Even sunheat can cause ignition.”

Farmers sprayed sodium chlorate on ragwort – an introduced species with poor effects for livestock – and trousers with the residual chemical became flammable.

• Watson, J. (2004). The Significance of Mr. Richard Buckley’s Exploding Trousers: Reflections on an Aspect of Technological Change in New Zealand Dairy Farming between the World Wars. Agricultural History, 78(3), 346–360. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3744710