LEAPED FROM FOURTH STOREY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17978, 15 October 1926, Page 6

LEAPED FROM FOURTH STOREY.

CAPTAIN ROBERTSON PROVED AN IMPOSTOR. TRANS-TASMAN FLIGHT EXPOSED AS BOGEY. By Telegraph. — Press Assn.— Copyright. Aus. and N.Z. C-ahle Association. SYDNEY, October 14. Captain Robert Robertson, who arrived here from Auckland to arrange for a flight from Sydney to New Zealand, fell from a fourth floor window at the Aero Club’s building in the city to-day, landing on the verandah roof. lie was carried through a window on the first floor and admitted to the hospital in a serious condition. When Captain Robertson arrived in the Ulimaroa he said he was going to make a flight from La Perouse to New Zealand. He also said he was suffering from a nervous breakdown and would take a couple of weeks’ holiday. Qnptain Hughes, president of the New South Wales Ae.ro Club, states that Captain Robertson called on him to discuss the flight scheme. Robertson was closely questioned by Captain Hughes, who came to the conclusion that many of Robertson's statements would ' not bear verification. Captain Hughes in the presence of witnesses told him he was an imposter and that to safeguard the interests of aviation he would get in touch with the police. Robertson then leapt out of the window of Captain Hughes's office, struck the top oriel window on the third floor, rebounded, and crashed on an awning on the level of the first floor. When they were discussing the details. Captain Hughes found that the whole proposal was vague, and Robertson was then nufVioned the statements which had appeared in New Zealand newspapers to the effect that the Aero Club of Australia was providing him with a machine. Robertson denied making such statements. After being closely questioned Robertson admitted that he had never been in a flying corps c.nd then, as Captain Hughes turned to telephone to the police. Robertson leapt through the window.