DISTURBANCE AT INQUIRY

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27584, 15 February 1955, Page 13

DISTURBANCE AT INQUIRY

Man Carried Out Of Court

(Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, February 14. Peace officers rushed a boisterous interjector at the Royal Commission on Espionage this afternoon and carried him bodily from the Court. A solidly-built, blond young man threw punches as plain clothes and uniformed officers overpowered him. He had interrupted the hearing of evidence with an interjection, and was warned to keep quiet. When he interrupted a second time, the peace officers moved towards him. The man clambered over several seats and stood on one of them, waving his fists, before being seized.

Earlier the Commission had examined Morris John Hughes, president of the New South Wales Communist Party, on what records the party kept. This related to the inquiry into an allegation by the former spy chief, Vladimir Petrov, that he had handed 25,000 dollars to Laurence Louis Sharkey, general secretary of the Communist Party, from the Soviet Union.

Hughes said the names and addresses of persons who made donations were not listed, for the same reason as a membership roll was not maintained. There were instances, he said, of Communists being unable to get jobs. A former ironworkers’ leader "Mr Ernest Thornton, had been sacked from every job when it was discovered who he was. Answering questions, Hughes said the Australian security service was one of the reasons why records were not kept of the moneys received or of membership. Other reasons, he said, were “reactionary organisations” used by the Government. Hughes said there were no persons who could be described as “under cover” members of the party. Each member had a card for admission to meetings, and to enable him to take part in Communist activities. Sharkey was recalled and told the commission the rent for the party’s premises in Market street was paid by the manager of the Communist journal, “Tribune.”

NO PLAY IN M.C.C. MATCH

(Rec. 8 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Feb. 14. There was no play today in the match between the M.C.C. and Victoria at Melbourne because the ground is waterlogged. Conditions are so bad that it seems possible the match will have to be abandoned tomorrow’.

CRICKET BAT RUINED

Rain Costs Harvey £3O

(Rec. 9 p.m.) MELBOURNE, February 14. Ram which has been soaking Melbourne tor the last two days flooded put the Melbourne Cricket Ground, leaked through the dressing-room roof and ruined a prized cricket bat belonging to the Australian test player, Neil Harvey. Today, as the match was called off, Harvey disconsolately hung out his saturated clothing and cricket material from his bag which had been lying beneath a leak in the roof. The blade of the bat had become swollen and bent. Harvey estimates the ram cost him £3O in ruined gear.

INDIA LEADS ON FIRST JNNINGS

(Rec 10 p.m.) PESHAWAR. Feb. 14. India gained a first innings lead in the fourth test against Pakistan at Peshawar today, and at lunch was 210 for five in reply to Pakistan’s 188. India put on 48 for the loss of two w’ickets this morning when resuming at the overnight score of 162 for three. Cornwall Foxes Prey on Lambs.— The old views against shooting foxes are dying fast in Cornwall. where members of hunt clubs are even supporting farmers’ drives against them, “The Times” reported today. The foxes have been preying on lambs and poultry since myxomatosis destroyed most of Cornwall’s rabbits. Shooting drives in Cornwall have this year already killed 200 foxes.—London, February 13.