GEORGES PHILIPPAR FIRE.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18653, 3 June 1932, Page 7

GEORGES PHILIPPAR FIRE.

WAS IT- A PLOT? SINISTER REPORTS. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, June i. It is thought that the tragic fire on the French steamer, Georges Philippar, was deliberately caused by a Communist. This belief is expressed by the Daily Mail, which suggests that a Red boarded the ship at Colombo, tampered with the electric wiring, and introduced a lime bomb. The newspaper states that a plot was recently discovered to place bombs on two great British liners. Demonstrations against ships carrying munitions to Japan were urged recently by the Communist paper, Daily Worker, and Mr Harry Pollitt, leader of the Britisii Communists, lias publicly advocated strikes and sabotage. Other ships have been mysteriously destroyed in Communist-ridden ports, the Bremen and Paris both having been burnt when nearing completion in 1929. Four vessels were burnt in the last two months of 1931. It is significant that the captain of the Georges Phillppar, on his eastward trip, shortened the vessel's stay at Port Said, and went through the Suez Canal a day ahead of schedule.