GRIFFIN MYSTERY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21962, 20 November 1934, Page 9

GRIFFIN MYSTERY

AUSTRALIANS PUZZLED MAN AND HIS MESSAGE SYDNEY, Nor. 19 The movements of Gerald Griffin, who was forbidden to land in Australia., sent back to New Zealand, and is reported to have returned to this country,' are intriguing the public of New South Wales and Victoria. Questions being asked are: "Is there one Griffin or are there several Griffins?" and " Are the anti-war agitators running a 'dummy' Griffin to mystify the Federal authorities?" An alleged Griffin addressed a meeting at Newcastle on Saturday afternoon. At the Melbourne Stadium on Sunday evening, a man who claimed to be Griffin addressed a meeting of protest against the exclusion of Egon Edwin Kisch, the Czech author, who has been prohibited entry to Australia. Five thousand people in the Melbourne Stadium had been listening to addresses condemning the Federal Government for the banning of Kisch and Griffin, when the chairman asked, "If Gerald Griffin is in the hall will ho stand up?" Then, as a man wearing spectacles rose, men and women rushed from their seats cheering and yelling. When order was restored, the man purporting to be Griffin 6aid: " The Federal Government was not able to prevent my entry and cannot prevent my message. I want to tell you that in New Zealand we are opposed to war and want you to help us to smash the play of the warmongers." PACIFIST'S DEATH SPEAKER'S LAST WORDS SYDNEY, Nor. IE Details in connection with the collapse and death of the Eev. A. Rivett, a pacifist, after making a speech in the Domain yesterday show that he cried: " My time is up. I have finished," Mr. Rivett, who was 79 years of age, then fell to the platform. Deceased formerly was a Congregational minister and recently he had conducted a mission.