AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 269, 28 October 1932, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

“WIZARD” SMITH CASE EVIDENCE ABOUT THE FIRF POSSIBLE CAUSES Sydney, October 27. Donald Harkness, giving evidence in “Wizard” Smith’s libel suit, furnished theories concerning the cause of the fire in Smith’s car, but the only conclusion he formed was that some foreign substance had caused it. The fire could be deliberately caused with a petrol soaked rag and with the engine running there would be no difficulty m picking up a spark and igniting the rag. Norman Josephson, consulting engineer, deposed that it was not pos sible to cause u fire in the manner suggested by the plaintiff. Witness expressed the opinion that the fire could bo caused by loosening the clip of the petrol supply pipe and allowing petrol to ooze out slowly and become ignited by spark from oue of the plugs. BERTRAM AT SYDNEY. GRATITUDE TO GOVERNMENT. Sydney, October 27. Captain Hans Bertram, the German avaitor who was lost in the wilds of North Australia, arrived at Sydney to-day attended by an aerial escort of six local airplanes. He spent the night at Canberra. The main object of his visit is to thank the Federal Government for the assistance rendered in rescuing him and his partner, Klausmann. A thanksgiving service held at the Canberra Anglican Church was attended by members of Parliament and prominent citizens. Bertram continued the flight to Sydney in his famous Junkers Monopllane. He was enthusiastically welcomed by 200 people, the German consul and other representative persons. LOAN OF £8,000,000 PREMIERS’ DECISION, Melbourne, October 27. The Premiers’ Conference agreed to the floatation of a loan of £8,000,000 at 3j per cent with an underwriting fee of 10/-, making the effective percentage £3 16/-.