POSTPONED VISIT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 125, 8 March 1935, Page 5

POSTPONED VISIT

THE DEFENCE WHITE PAPER. MINISTER REFUSES WITHDRAWAL. LABOUR LEADER'S SUGGESTION. (United Press Association—Copyright). LONDON, March 6. Asked in the House of Commons if he had any idea when his meeting with Hlerr Hitler would take place, Sir John Simon stated that he was in communication with the German Government on that subject. Replying to a further question from Mr George Lansbury (Leader of the Labour Opposition), whether he would advise his colleagues to withdraw the White Paper until after the conversations, the Foreign Secretary said: "No, sir. Certainly not. I can hardly imagine any one would wish to take seriously the suggestion that if you have a statement to make you should reserve it until after the conversations take place." Mr F. S. Cocks (Labour) asked the Foreign Secretary whether he would take the opportunity to visit Moscow, where they had not lost their Voices (Laughter). Sir John made no answer. . -

The "Daily Telegraph" expresses the hope that Herr Hitler will speedily recover from his indisposition, and •considers that it is unfortunate from the British viewpoint that the debate in Parliament on Monday will have to take place without special enlightenment on Germany's attitude to the London Agreements, which the Foreign Secretary would have been ' able to contribute fresh from his conversations with Herr Hitler. Referring to the German press criticism of the British White Paper, the "Daily Telegraph" points out: "The British standpoint had to be made known either before the visit or "by the British representatives during the conversations, unless the latter were to be carried on in an atmosphere of complete unreality. Moreover, publication was vital to the instruction of British public opinion. In regard to the new Defence Estimates the date for their discussion in Parliament was fixed long before there was any thought of this mission." HITLER SPENDS DAY INDOORS. BERLIN, March 7. It is learned authortatively that Herr Hitler spent the whole day indoors and is expected to remain indisposed until at least Tuesday. "BRITISH HEARTS HARDENED." "GERMANY'S ILL BEHAVIOUR.'' LONDON, March 6. The "Sun-Herald" news service says: "Cabinet discussed Herr Hitler's cold. It was not prepared indefinitely to de- 1 lay Sir John Simon's visit and decided that Sir John and Mr Eden should go to Warsaw and Moscow shortly, although the decision is not associated with last night's broadcast from Moscow that 'intending visitors-should note that Moscow's climate is not conducive to colds at this time of the year.'

"The Government's attitude towards Germany! is hardening. Germany's behaviour is interpreted as an attempt to raise internal political difficulties in Great Britain. It has also thrown Europe hack to 1912, involving alliances and counter-alliances and destroying attempts at collective security " NAVAL ESTIMATES. •'■ NORMAL CONSTRUCTION. . ■ LONDON, March 6. In a statement accompanying the Naval Estimates the First Lord of the Admiralty (Sir Boltcm Eyres-Monsell) says of the increase £246,196 is required to make normal progress with new construction. There is a rise of £166,200 in the non-effective votes, with an automatic increase, of £535,000 in expenditure on the Fleet Air Arm. The new construction programme for 1935 is: Three cruisers of the Southampton (formerly Minotaur) type, one •flotilla leader and eight destroyers, three submarines, one submarine depot ship, four sloops (three minesweepers and one convoy sloop), one surveying ship and seven small vessels. The building of new cruisers, destroyers and submarines ■ continues to be governed by the London Naval Treaty until the end of 1936.—British Official Wireless.