WHO IS BASHAM?

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 55, 27 May 1927, Page 9

WHO IS BASHAM?

SOVIET’S AUCKLAND AGENT COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES SECRETARY DENIES LINK WITH RUSSIA J BASHAM, 164 Hobson Street, whose name and address were filed by the Soviet Agency in, London, does not now live at the address quoted.

Number 164, Hobson Street, was formerly occupied by Mr. Andrew Lees, watersider, and pork butcher. Basham was a lodger with the Lees family, but before Christmas Lees left Auckland, and Basham now lives at Newton.

The secretary of the Communist Party in Auckland is Mr. Myer Robinson, whose place of business is in Victoria Street West. The party holds meetings every Wednesday, and is actively interested in the spread of its doctrines through New Zealand. ANCIENT ADDRESSES

Mr. Robinson stated to-day that he did not know Mr. Basham’s exact address. He knew he lived in Newton. “Jack is a waterside worker, and an Englishman by birth,” he said.

Further, he characterised as ridiculous the suggestion that Basham

was in league with the Soviet agency at Home. Probably the address was filed because Basham had written away for party literature. The addresses cabled out appeared to be eighteen months or two years old. as one of the men mentioned had since left New Zealand.

Mr. Robinson emphatically denied that there was any exchange of money, plans or instructions between New Zealand and Russia, either directly or through London. All official communications from the New Zealand Communists to the London Communists went through the Dominion secretary, Mr. Allan Englesham, of Blackball. West Coast, and were sent to the English Communist Party’s headquarters, which were not at Soviet House.