CRIMINALS OR REDS?

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 138, 8 December 1931, Page 7

CRIMINALS OR REDS?

AN EARLIER INSTANCE

(From "Tho Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, Ist December.

It-is difficult to say whether Beds or criminals were responsible for the recent bombing outrage at the residence of the Leader of tho Opposition (Sir Stanley Argyle) at Toorak, Melbourne. While it is generally accepted that the bomb was'set by Communists, the police are seriously considering the theory that the criminal element was responsible. Melbourne has been experiencing a crime wave of unusual dimensions, and Sir Stanley has, for some time, been bringing pressure to bear on the Government to introduce a Consorting Act that would give the police wider powers. Criminals have had such freedom that they have become emboldened, so much so, it is feared, that they would not hesitate to intrude into politics, oven as their unsavoury brethren of the United States. Then again, Sir Stanley's recent utterances against Communism recently have been particularly atrong, and ho has been making matters very uncomfortable for the Beds by bringing them within the glare of public opinion. Whatever the motive for the outrage, he made it plain that Bo would not be intimidated by such methods as threats with bombs. He only expressed regret that terrorism should be inflicted on women when. they had no men ,in the house to protect therh. Lady'Argyle, her married daughter (Mrs. Eric Hill), and the maid had not long retired when tho explosion occurred. Sir Stanley was attending the annual dinner of the City Council. Shortly before 10 o'clock Lady Argyle was awakened by the detonator. She switched on the lights, but on seeing the havoc wrought by the explosion she switched'them off again, fearing that moro damage might be done by a, second Explosion. Groping round in the dark she reached the telephone and called the police1. Miss Temple Smith was reading in her bed at the rear of the house when she heard stealthy footsteps, as she thought, crossing the tennis courts at the side, but she concluded that they must be next door. She had just resumed her reading when tho whole house was: shaken by a violent explosion. ■ ■ Daylight investigations revealed that the bomb was of a death-dealing variety. Pellets of steel had riddled the'ceiling of the verandah, tearing through woodwork an inch thick, and penetrating galvanised iron on the upper roof. The front windows and door were splintered, and ornaments inside .were flung in all directions. Plaster was shaken from the inside walls, and a thick curtain was shredded by shattered glass. Some distance away; a large fragment-of the bomb was found embedded in. a'pine tree. Experts state that when the piping,of which the bomb was made exploded it broke into hundreds of projectiles, any of which was capable of killing. The piping was about three inches in diameter, filled with gelignite, and sealed at each end. It had been set off with a time fuse. •