ARRESTED ENGINEERS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 151, 7 April 1933, Page 5

ARRESTED ENGINEERS

ACCUSATIONS AT MOSCOW. AT TRIAL AS OBSERVER. BRITISH LAWYER’S PART. (United Press Association—Copyright). /Received This Day, 8.50 a.m.) '. LONDON, April 6. Mr,Robert Turner (solicitor for Metropolitan Vickers, Ltd) has been granted a visa and will go to Moscow to-niglit, accompanied by an interpreter, to attend the trial as an observer. COURT’S OFFER OF COUNSEL. REFUSED BY THE ACCUSED. (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) MOSCOW, April 6. The State Prosecutor (M. Visliinsky) informed Mr Monkhouse, one of the accused engineers, that the prosecution would be ready for presentation to counsel for the defence to-morrow. It is understood that the engineers declined an offer by the Court to provide counsel. . - , SELECTION OF COUNSEL. EMINENT LAWYERS AVAILABLE. (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) MOSCOW, April 6. Mr Monkhouse conferred with the collegium of lawyers, from whom he ■will select counsel for his defence. The collegium includes a number of prerevolution eminent lawyers. The newspapers omit all reference to the House of Commons debate on Russian affairs. 5 “USE WHATEVER RIGHTS.” AUTHORITY BY THE COMPANY KReeeived This (Dhy, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 6. Metropolitan' Vickers, Ltd., .telegraphed to Mr Monkhouse authoi ising him to use whatever rights there are in Russia, in respect to the employment for lawyers for the defence of the arrested engineers.—British Official V ireless. JOURNALISTS DEBARRED. LONDON, April 6. The Soviet Government has refused British journalists permission to attend the engineers’ trial. LIMIT ON BAN ON IMPORTS. PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS. (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 6. The remaining stages of the Bill enabling the Government to prohibit by proclamation the importation of Russian goods to the United Kingdom were considered by the House of in committee to-day. The Labour Party had tabled a number of amendments and interest was taken in the attitude of Sir Herbert Samuel and his Liberal followers would adopt, in view of their abstention from voting on the second reading. When an amendment to limit the duration of the measure to one month was proposed, the President of the Board of Trade (Mr Runciman), on behalf of the Government, refused to accept it. He proposed, however, a time limit of three months, with a proviso that the! measure could bo continued by means of a resolution of Parliament before the expiration of that period or until a further resolution praying for it to be revoked was passed by each House. Sir Herbert Samuel said ho was most grateful for Mr Runciman’s statement, and if it bad been made the previous day the Liberals would hac o voted for the second reading. ■ Replying to (Sir .Austen Ohuniberlflin, Mr Runciman gave an undertaking, on behalf of the Government, that it would use the powers contained in the measure for no other purpose than to enable it to intervene effectively on behalf of the British subjects now m peril in Russia-.—British Official Wireless. DEBATE' IN THE COMMONS. THE LIBERALS DISSATISFIED. LONDON, April 0. A crowded Hoiv>fi cheered the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir John Simon) when he rose in the House of Commons to move the second reading of the Bill granting authority to to prohibit imports from Russia. Sir John Simon' used no rhetoric. Members were deeply impressed and listened to him in profound silence. It is a long time since there was such tension at Westminster. Only once did Sir John’s voico soar, when he demanded: “What would you have the Government do, when 3 on know that fellow - subjects . are in peril?” Sir John confirmed the report that Sir Esmond Ovey would not return to Moscow unless there were very unexpected developments. Replying to the debate for the Government, the President of the Board of

Trade (Mr Walter Runciman) said that while everyone desired a fair settlement of the precarious business, they must not give away their fellow countrymen’s rights. The staging of sabotage trials was frequent in Russia and careful search revealed that there had not been single instance of acquittal. Everything had been done to encourage trade with Russia, but events such as the one under consideration, made it impossible for British firms to tender for contracts, in view of the risks to their employees ini Russia. The withdrawal of the Ambassador would not touch the Soviet Government in any sensitive spot, but the present Bill would empower action which the Soviet would understand. , Sir Herbert Samuel sought an assurance that if the prisoners’ case was settled the embargo would not be used. Mr Runciman said lie could not give any undertaking in advance of events, but they had no intention of using the powers in such a way as to infringe free trade principles. The Bill was read a second time by 347 votes to 48. The Liberals, being dissatisfied with Mr Runcimon’s answer, refused to vote. NOT A FINANCIAL MOVE. PAYMENTS MADE TO DATE. (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, April G. At a meeting of shareholders in Associated Electrical Industries, Ltd., it was asked whether £1,500,000 Russia owed to Metropolitan Vickers Ltd., had been written off. The chairman of directors (Sir Felix Pole) who replied, personally considered the arrests of the engineers not to be connected with the Soviet’s financial committments. All the amounts due up to date had been paid, including a sum this week. The balance would become due over the next live years, and he hoped it would be paid. The company’s relations with Moscow for 10 years had been most satisfactory. The engineers had been instructed scrupulously to avoid political controversy and he .believed that they faithfully observed their instructions. SIR E, OVEY STAYS IN LONDON. LONDON, April G. It is understood that, Sir Esmond Ovey, formerly British Ambassador in Moscow, has taken the lease of a flat in London for three years.