ABYSSINIANS REVEAL STORES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 270, 28 August 1935, Page 5

ABYSSINIANS REVEAL STORES.

OLD AND OF DOUBTFUL VALUE.

PRIESTS ANTICIPATE HOLY WAR. MECHANISED FORCE ASSEMBLES (United Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) ADDIS ABABA, August 27. Cavalry is speeding with arms and ammunition to the southern army rcsei'ves. Munitions that have been hidden since the battle of Adowa, in 1893, but of doubtful value, is nowemerging from caves and rook-hewn churches, with the permission of the priests, who regard the coming campaign as a holy war. The Government is removing merchants’ stocks of petrol to an underground shelter. The largest possible mechanised force is concentrating at Ogaden. Jt totalled about 150 motor-lorries.

BRITAIN AND LEAGUE COUNCIL.

CLOSE TOUCH WITH FRANCE, (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, August 27. Sir Samuel Hoare aiid Mr R. A. Eden both returned to work at the Foreign Office to-day. Among other business which will occupy them during the next few days is the examination of aspects of the ItaloAbyssinian dispute, which will come before the League of Nations Council to-morrow week. It. is to be recalled that at the end of the Council meeting on August 3 Mr Eden, referring to the proposed Three-Power conversations at Paris, said: “I will inform the Council at its next meeting of the result of these endeavours.” The form of the report which he will make to the Council will be one of the questions to which the two Ministers will have to give attention and it is likely, as Mr Eden has been associated with M. Laval as joint

rapporteur before the Council on the Abyssinian appeal, that the Premier of ' France will be consulted in this matter. In any case the British and French Governments remain in touch through diplomatic channels in regard to the situation, in accordance with the policy announced in Paris on August 18. M. Laval is reported to have had interviews to-day with botli the British Ambassador and the Italian Ambassador, seeing the latter twice. In the meantime, Press messages from Rome indicate the intention of the Italian Government to conform with the League procedure at the forthcoming meeting of the Council, ■where the Italian delegate (Baron

Aloisi) will have instructions to make a full statement of the Italian case in reply to the Abyssinian appeal.— British Official Wireless.

BRITAIN AND SANCTIONS.

ISOLATED ACTION NOT DESIRED.

(Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, August 27

The views of Mr W. M. Hughes on sanctions were gjiven prominence in the London Press, but nowhere is isolated action on the part of Britain, against Italy desired or contemplated. This has been emphasised in all recent statements. The maximum action to which Britain is likely to be committed is the taking of the initiative at Geneva in proposing certain conditions, and that the nations refuse to supply raw materials and credits to Italy. Even, this, it is hoped, may be avoided, by a joint Anglo-French resolution.