THE JEWISH FEUD IN MELBOURNE

Grey River Argus, 6 October 1949, Page 3

THE JEWISH FEUD IN MELBOURNE

MELBOURNE, Oct 5,

A man arrested in connection with the Ravdell kidnapping nas been released on £lOOO bail. He is Benjamin Gelbart, aged 29, described as a manufacturer and businessman. He is a distant relative by marriage of the Ravdell family. The Gelbart family arrived in ■Australia. 25 years ago, about the same time as the Ravdells migrated here from the Ukraine. Gelbart said that when the Army began selling surplus war goods in New Guinea he went there and bought large quantities of materials. He did very well from these deals and in 1947 went on a business trip through North and South America. Last year he visited every country in Europe. For some time Gelbart has been engaged in a legal battle with the son of the kidnapped man over the payment of moneys alleged to be owing on goods delivered. Gelbart denies all the charges and claims that his arrest is ridiculous and preposterous because he had nothing to do with the kidnapping. He says his fight is with Maurice Ravdell. not his father, and that he has a complete answer to all the charges. In litigation now proceeding, Maurice Ravdell will seek an order that Gelbart pay about £6OOO costs arising from an unsuccessful claim he made before a private arbitrator that Ravdell had embezzled £18,600. Gelbart seeks to upset the arbitrator’s decision.