BOMB OUTRAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23012, 13 April 1938, Page 21

BOMB OUTRAGE

LIDCOMBE TRAGEDY .DETECTIVES' DISCOVERIES STARTLING EVIDENCE LIKELY [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, April 8 One of -the most extraordinary stories told in an Australian Court will be unfolded, the police say, when the inquest into the Lidcombe bombing outrage of January 28 is opened on April 19. In the bombing, Alfred Ernest Smith, aged 53, and his wife, Mary Ann Smith, 51, were killed. The inquiry will probably last a week. At least 'lO witnesses, in addition to. detectives, uniformed police, and experts of the Explosives Department, will give evidence. The detectives have worked ceaselessly on their investigations. Now De-tective-Sergeant McCarthy is faced with the task of preparing the novel-length brief. But, the police say, no novel has contained such unusual features as the Lidcombe case. Many conflicting statements have been made, and it iis likely that at least two explanations of the tragedy will be put before the coroner. Nobody has been charged. The police will not say if a committal is expected. A reward of £IOOO was offered by the Government for the solution of the mystery, but so far it has had no practical result. Smith was an organiser of the Meat Industry Employees' Union. Ho and his wife were killed early in the morning, while in their bedroom. Their three children had extraordinary escapes from injury. The bedroom was completely wrecked. Smith's hands nere blown off, suggesting to the investigators that he had picked np the bomb a moment before it exploded. The bomb was composed of gelignite, a:iid had been packed with bolts, nuts, screws and a horseshoe.

GERMAN REFUGEES EYES ON DOMINIONS PLIGHT OF MANY CATHOLICS [from our own correspondent] LONDON, March 19 The plight of hundreds of Catholic refugees from Nazi Germany is making sm insistent demand on the aid of their fellow-Catholics. Especially in the countries adjoining Germany, there are many Germans who have had to flee their country, who have been discriminated against in their localities, and have in many cases lost their livelihood because of their staunchness as Catholics. They leave hurriedly with littl'3 money, and cannot obtain further supplies. After a few weeks or months tha local authorities in the countries where they have taken refuge make it plain to them that they cannot be allowed to become a public charge. A leading article in the Tablet describes how plans are being made in England and elsewhere to collect funds with which to pay the passages of these refugees to the countries willing to allow them in. Unfortunately, the possibilities of migration are greatly circumscribed to-day as compared with" before the Great War. German Catholic refugees are therefore turning hopoful eyes toward New Zealand and Australia.

"The rerolution of 1848 led to emigrations to the United States or New Zealand and Australia, which brought into those new countries settlers of the highest quality, whose descendants are conspicuous citizens to-day," suggest# the Tablet. "We should like to see a similar welcome extended by New Zealand and Australia to refugees from Nazi Germany."

WORK FOR THE FILMS ONCE FAMOUS BOXER BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT [from our own correspondent] LONDON, March '26 A man who once was the idol of the boxing ring is now glad to earn a gtioea a clay as a film "extra" and player of small parts. Sixty-year-old Gunner j\Joir sees nothing glamorous in making films and rubbing shoulders with the stars. To him it is just a job of work. The man who fought Billy Wells, "Iron" Hague and Tommy Burns asked this week: "Where has it got me:'" Of his present work he said: "i do it because I have to. Sometimes weeks go by without a ring front the studios. Then I get a chance to make a few pounds—but there is no danger of my having to pay super tax, or even income tax, on what I earr;." The Gunner, one of the first recognised British heavy-weight champions, won the title in 3.906. Twice he fought handsome and debonair Bombardier Wells, and now and again they meet on the set and appear in the same pictures, for Wells slso is filming. The ex-champion Moir is not always cast as a fighter in pictures. He has appeared as an executioner in a French revolution film, and just now he is playing the part of a prisoner in a Will Hay production.

LONG CYCLE TOUR NEW ZEALANDER'S PLANS 10,000 MILES IN EUROPE [from our own correspondent] LONDON, March 2(3 A New Zealander startled the foreign travel department of the Cyclists' Touring Club, London, a few days ago by walking in and casually asking for an itinerary that would take him into all the European countries worth visiting. He was Mr. L. N. Ashton, of Wellton, who plans to make a lengthy holiday tour ol the Continent 011 a bicycle. So great has the vogue for cycling become in Britain and so efficient are the organisations that have been built tip to cater for the needs of millions of keen cyclists that the club was able to take Mr. Ashton's formidable recjuesL as a matter of routine. After a suitable route had been suggested to him in outline, three assistants, each an experienced Continental tourist, began the detail work. Finally an itinerary was.drawn up that cohered almost 10,000 miles of interesting country, with all turnings and objects of interest marked on it. It was so bulky that it had to be bound in five volumes, and the cyclist will send each section to some appropriate post office on his route and collect it when he arrives rather than carry it around with him. The countries into which the i tin or Dry will .take him include France Germany, Austria.. Czechoslovakia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and Holland.