BRITAIN TO PAY £500,000.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 5 July 1928, Page 5

BRITAIN TO PAY £500,000.

FOR RIGHTS IN MACHINE GUN. News that, a Sydney .resident is likely soon to ’lief £SOO,(XX) from the British Government for 'the night® in a. new machine-gun were made public here this week in unusual fashion. The fart? came out when David Roth, wel.l-knp vn wool man .and merchant, asked for an early hearing of his divorce petition, so that hie could get to England for_ the final demonstration to the authorities. It was explained that Roth, who ©aw service with the A.1.F.. became interested in a machine-gun invented by Sergeant MeOruddl?n. First taking up share? in the McCHidden Machine-Gun Company, he later acquired all rights. “During the past five years I and a gmit'ernan whom I have been able to internest have spent £25,000 in making numerous improvements and aiteratianw to the original gun,” he. told the Court. “We have had improved working medens manufactured. In 1027 the then latest , kin,m model was .submitted to the Tritiah Government, experts, representing the Navy, Military and Air Defence authorities. “They subjected it to exhaustive test©, and as a result 1 was given .reason to lielieve that if a new model was prepared, embodying further small im provampnts there would be a good pi ospert, of the British Government purera*.-, rig the invention for a sum rons'dur ably in excess of £500,000.” The new model will' fie complete by August, and Mr Roth, informed fc’.-.s? Court that lie wishes to go to London •o .hold a. final’ demonstration not lo.ier than the end of September. Mi- Justice Owen granted the request for an eniMv hearing, a request to wl.i h neither the respondent nor the co-re-spondent raised any objection, tho ,gh they both deny tkp charges against them. Mr Roth, therefore, will be able to Lave his .suit heard and then go to England in time to prove the abilities of . latest model. And evpn should l' ■ British Government pay more than half a mil.-ion pounds for the gun, it will be a. bargain compared to the millions in .rcyalitv the authorities have had to pay because they failed to rocogniq? the merit'i of the Lewis gun when it was offered to them outright.