“MONEY ADVANCED.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20455, 7 November 1934, Page 1

“MONEY ADVANCED.”

Promoter’s Claim Against Kingsford Smith.

United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LOS ANGELES, November 5. Irony tinged the homage paid to Sir Charles Kingsford Smith to-day when his plane Lady Southern Cross was attached and an action filed against him in the Municipal Court for 2750 dollars by Thomas 11. Catton, a promoter. The papers were served while Sir Charles and Captain P. G. Taylor were receiving callers in their hotel suite. Astonished by the action. Sir Charles immediately summoned an attorney, who prepared an answer denying all the allegations. Catton claimed that he had performed “ work, labour and services and advanced money ” in connection with the preparations for the first flight from California to Australia. “ The idea of this fellow charging that he advanced me money is absolutely absurd, ridiculous and preposterous,” Sir Charles told the Australian Press Association. “He might have bought me a cigar, but if any money was advanced I advanced it to him. “ I mean to fight him to the last, and when the case is over I shall follow up with a damages suit against him.” The records show that Catton filed a similar complaint in 1928 in San Francisco. but dismissed it last week to permit an action being brought here.