A PRECAUTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 80, 5 April 1933, Page 7

A PRECAUTION.

STOP SOVIET TRADE.

Bill Introduced in House of Commons. EMBARGO ON APRIL 18. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12 noon.) / RUGBY, April 4. The Russian Goods and Imports Prohibition Bill was introduced to the House of Commons and read a first time. The text of the bill gives power to the Government to prohibit the import of all Russian goods except by Board of Trade license. Da regard to goods which are manufactured partly in the Soviet Union and partly in some other country, it has to be proved that 20 per cent of their value is attributable to processes undergone since they left the Union. The proclamation does not apply to goods for re-export. It comes into operation on April 18, the day after the existing trade agreement expires. It is asserted in quarters connected with the Government that the move should be regarded as precautionary rather than punitive. It is hinted that it may not, after all, be necessary to use the powers. "The Times" says it became clear six months ago that if the Ottawa agreements were not to be illusory, steps must be taken to curb the power- of the Soviet to disorganise the world's .markets in commodities like wheat and timber. There could be no doubt that the drastic and elastic; procedure contemplated in the new bill would be better suited to vagaries of AngloRussion trade than any new trade agreement that could be negotiated. There was an unanswerable case for the bill apart from the arrest of the British engineers.

RELEASE ON BAIL. THREE OF ACCUSED FREED. (Received 1.30 p.m.) MOSCOW, April 4. Messrs. Thornton, Cushny and Gregory, Britishers who were under arrest by the Soviet, have been released on bail of 55,000 roubles. Mr. Mac Donald has been detained.