PLOT TO INVADE AUSTRALIA.

Press, Issue 16678, 12 November 1919, Page 8

PLOT TO INVADE AUSTRALIA.

CURIOUS DISCOVERY IN BRISBANE. (fbom our own correspondent.) SYDNEY, November 5. An extraordinary story of German spy activities has been told in the course of court proceedings in Brisbane. The plot, which might have been taken redhot from a Le Qucux novel, is about as follows:—

The German Consul in Brisbane at

the beginning of the war was a person of prominence and importance, and his wife was a charming Australian lady, and he was allowed a certain amounj; of liberty. But suspicion fastene'd on him, the authorities pounced, and papers were found in his possession which indicated that he was at least cognisant of a far-fetched but perfectly serious scheme for the invasion of Australia. He was interned, and the papers were lodged in the Intelligence Branch of the Defence Office.

The next chapter shows the wife of the Gorman Consul being approached by a well-known Brisbane solicitor with a strongly Teutonic name. He let it be known that he had possession of those very compromising papers, and he would part with them for a consideration. The lady cleverly staved him off, and forthwith took train to Melbourne and laid the position before the Minister for Defence. Her motives are not to be questioned. It is known that she is anxious that her husband should be leniently treated, and that she should not be forced to go to Germany with him. The sequel came promptly. The solicitor with German forebears was

arrested, and the papers recovered from Kim. •

_ The next chapter shows the authorities seeking for the means by which the papers pot from the Defence Office to the solicitor. Ultimately a private named Johannes Adrianus Tilanus was arrested and charged with theft. The verdict was guilty, and a term of two vears was imposed. The sentence, however, was suspended. Tilanus. aopears, had been most valuable to the Defence people during the war. He was acquainted with the plottines and machinations of the Germans in Austra-

lia during tho war. and he told the Defence officers. Ultimately, however, he succumbed to a temptation to feather his own nest.

_ Details of tho plot to invade Australia are not known. But it was "well advanced about the middle period of the war. A limited number of enemy troops were to land in Anstrn'in from- enormous submarines, and play havoc. The submarines did not materialise, however.