ASSOUAN DAM DISPUTE
CONTRACTOR SUICIDES.
SAD END OF “EMPIRE JACK.” L United Press Association.—By Electric : Telegraph.—Copyright.] . LONDON, September 27. The death is recorded at Cairo of Lieut-Colonel Sir John Norton Griffiths, the Public Works contractor, at the-age of 59 years. Though, he was most famous for the. blowing up of the Messines Bridge, and for the destroying of the Roumanian oil wells, Sir John Norton Griffiths lived a most adventurous life. He sailed to Australia in a windjammer when he was seventeen years of age. He ran away from his ship, and remained for some time in Australia. He earned the name of “Empire Jack” for the work done by him during the war. The London manager of the firm of Norton Griffiths; contractors, this iporning received a cable from Sir John Norton Griffiths, reporting the state of certain negotiations as to the Assouan dam', hut he received no hint that there was anything untoward.” < FOUND SHOT ON BOAT. CAIRO, September 27,
Sir John Norton Griffiths was seen to go out in a small boat from Ramleigh in the morning. He paddled for some distance. Then observers ashore noticed that his boat was drifting, and was apparently unoccupied. Swimmers then hastened to the spot, and aj police launch examined the boat. ; They found Sir John Norton Griffiths lying in the bottom dead, shot in the right temple. Sir John Norton Griffiths came to Egypt to clean up the dispute between the Egyptian Government and his firm regarding the Assouan Dam heightening contract. The British engineers have been alleging that it was impossible to carry on in the face of constant pin pricks and obstruction arising from incompetence on the part of inexperienced Egyptian inspectors. The work was suspended last week. Sir John Norton Griffiths stated, that no other course but the suspension was open for the protection of his firm’s reputation.
The Egyptian Government alleged that the work was not proceeding at a proper speed. It was known that Sir Norton Griffiths was very worried.
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Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1930, Page 5
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335ASSOUAN DAM DISPUTE Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1930, Page 5
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