BREACH FILLED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 150, 26 June 1937, Page 9

BREACH FILLED.

SPANISH CONTROL.

Britain and France Replace Fascist Nations.

SEQUEL TO WITHDRAWAL,

British Official Wireless.

(Received 2.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 25

It is understood that Britain and France are willing to fill with their own ships the gap in the naval control scheme caused by the withdrawal of Germany and Italv.

It is intended to inform the Xon Intervention Committee of this.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, told the House of Commons that this was the first of two practicable steps which the Spanish crisis called for. The other was to obtain withdrawal of foreign volunteers.

LIBERAL VIEWPOINT.

Sir A. Sinclair's Appeal for

Common Sense.

LET US KEEP COOL HEADS." British Official Wireless. I Received 2.'M p.m.) RUGBY, June 2.5. Sir Archibald Sinclair, liberal leader, said in the House of Commons that the Spanish situation presented itself as a struggle between rival systems, each of which commanded a passionate body of supporters. That constituted a "perpetual danger because if some country or Government representing one of these two ideas should be tempted to intervene beyond a certain point, then it was obvious that other countrieis might find it difficult, if not impossible, to refrain from joining in. A conflict might then be started of which no man could see the end.

The policy of the British Government had been consistently eoniiir.d to one aim, namely, to maintain tiie [teacu of Europe by confining the war to Spain. "We suffered the usual fate of those who try to be impartial and have been bitterly accused of partiality by both sides, but up to the present we have succeeded in achieving our object and shall continue to pursue that object. "Let us try to keep cool heads and neither say nor do anything to precipitate a disaster. '"I think wc are bound to recognise that so long as this civil war is going on in Spain incidents are bound to occur which will involve foreign Powers. These will lead to accusations of want of impartiality -and counter-accusation*. and then to such deplorable incidents as the bombing of the German battleship Deutschland and the Nazis' subsequent shelling of Almeria.'' Germans Chowed Restraint. Referring to the alleged torpedoing of the German cruiser Leipzig, he said her officers were convinced of what they thought was indisputable evidence that they had been the subject of an attack. Whether they were right or wrong—in the circumstances it seems to me that their claim that they could not ajlow their ships to be exposed any longer to the risk —such incidents as that ought not to he the subject of hostile criticism. "The action of the German Government in merely withdrawing its ships and declaring the incident closed shows a degree of restraint which we ought to recognise. We should now fill the gap in control and start anew our endeavours to obtain the withdrawal of foreign volunteers in Spain. "I want to appeal to those holding responsible positions in this country and abroad to weigh their words very carefully before they utter them on this matter."

NEW REPUBLIC?

Reported Proclamation in

Santander.

REBELS' VIGOROUS DRIVE.

(Received 10 a.m.) LONDOX, June 25. According to a Lisbon message, a rebel broadcast alleged that a throng of foodless fugitives in Santander demonstrated against the Government. The civil guards were helpless and anarchists seized the opportunity of leadership and proclaimed a Communist-Libertarian republic. Crowds then raided the shops. A communique issued by the Spanish Government admits that after a tlvje days' lull the insurgents have f' :knisly resumed their offensive toward Santander, designed to capture a rich industrial and mining area. They are aerially pounding the retreating Basques, who are being followed up by strong mechanised columns. Reports received in Paris from several sources state that the authorities at Santander are negotiating for a surrender to avert the destruction of the city. The rebel vanguard, states a Hendaye report, entered Santander province and made contact with Basque troops at Valmaseda, eight miles from the seaport of Castro Urdiales, the insurgents' first important objective.

TREASURE CARGO.

UNDER SEAL IN FRANCE

(Received 1.30 p.m.)

LA ROCHELLE, June 25

The British ship Seabank and a Spanish freighter Axpemendi, to which the Seabank transferred most of her £10,000,000 treasure —representing in gold and securities the entire liquid assets of three Bilbao provinces—have for the past 48 hours been placed under seal in La Rochelle Harbour following a local civil tribunal's granting of permission to British and Spanish banks in Bilbao to seize 9000 cases of gold and securities taken from that port three weeks ago.