TWO DUELS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 17, 20 January 1934, Page 9

TWO DUELS.

FRENCH DEPUTIES.

Stormy Politics Result in Challenges. STAVISKY DEBATE SEQUEL. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph-Copyright) (Received 2 p.m.) PARIS, January 19. Another heated scene in the Chamber of Deputies resulted in a duel challenge when M. La Grosillicr . (Socialist) met M. Ferry, proprietor N of "La Liberte," in the lobby and asked whether the latter was responsible for the black headlines dealing with the Stavisky debate.

M. Ferry replied that he was fully responsible and the Socialist smacked his face. A challenge immediately followed.

Despite speculating by Press gossips as to how the four law-givers will avoid the consequences of breaking the duelling laws, present indications suggest that both duels have been abandoned. M. Ferry declares that as M. La Grosillicr is awaiting trial for fraud, preventing a settling of the matter as between gentlemen, he changed his mind and lodged a legal complaint.

Tho Minister of Education* M. dc Monzic, who challenged M. Henriot, ft Right Wing deputy, in the lobby yesterday to a duel, has informed his seconds that nothing will satinfy him but M. Henri,ot's public withdrawal of his remarks, which were made during the former's absence from the Chamber yesterday, accusing M. de Monzie of visiting lime. Stavisky (then Mile. Arlctto Simon) at a nursing home in 1920, although the police Lad forbidden her to receive visitors.

However, M. de Monzie's seconds have referred the matter for arbitration by an ex-Minister, M. Pietri, president of the Fencing Club, -who is regarded as especially qualified to adjudicate on nice points of honour. M. Pietri is asked to decide whether there have been insults, and if so who has suffered thereby; whether M. de Monzie was authorised to visit Mine. Stavisky and whether he actually visited her. Meanwhile, M. do Monzie stated that he never knew either Stavisky or his wife. The Foreign Minister, M. PaulBoncour, in a letter to the Prime Minis--1 ter, M. Chautemps, declares that he in- ' terested himself in Mme. Stavisky before marriage purely in the capacity ' of a lawyer, at the. request of friends ; who believed her to be the victim of swindlers.

j He added: "She is the daughter of a i comrade killed in the war. I assisted her only because of the memory of her father. I never knew Stavisky."

SHELTERED STAVISKY. PRESSMAN ARRESTED. (Received 1 p.m.) FAEiIS, January 19. M. Picaglio, the pressman with whom Stavisky, the fraudulent Russian financier who afterwards committed suicide, stayed while fleeing from Paris, has been arrested.