THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20197, 27 March 1931, Page 15

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

AFRICAN SLAVES. NEGROES SOLD TO ARABSOFFICIAL WXBKIJSSB.) (Received March 26tb, 5,5 p.TO,) RUGBY, March 25. Replying to questions in the House of the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Pr. Hugh Dalton, said that 35 States had not yet ratified nor acceded to the Slavery Convention, 1926. Referring to the work of the Sudan* ese Slavery Patrol, Dr. Dalton said that investigations in 1929 had led to the arrest and imprisonment of a num-, her of persons implicated in the sale of Abyssinian negroes to Arab tribe,? and to the discovery and liberation of 65Q slaves imported into the Sudan from Abyssinia. The Foreign Secretary (Mr Arthur Henderson) considered that the effec* tive action of the Sudan authorities in the suppression of slave traffic reflected great credit on al} concerned. LIQUOR TRADE. PRIVATE RIM* REJECTED. deceived March 36th, 8.85 p.m.) LONDON, The House of Commons, by 1?7 voteß to 112, refused the first reading of a private Bill by a Labour member, Mr E. Winterfcon (Loughborough), to prevent all advertisements of intoxicating liquor. Mr Winterten expressed the opinion that Parliament's permanent intention was to restrain the liquor trade, hut distillers and brewers were using their swollen profits to increase it. If Macaulay's Now Zealander now walked the London streets, ho would believe that a certain -brewer was the hero of tho day. Mr F. A. MacQuisten" (Conservative member for A*gyle)> leading the Opposition, said it was impossible to argue with those who had the prohibition microbe in their blood. Advertisements only wasted the distillers' and brewers' good money, Good liquor needed no advertisement. SCHNEIDER CUP RACE. (Received March 26th, 8.50 p.m.) LONDON, March 85. In the House of Commons, the Parliamentary Secretary for Air, Mr JB*. Montague, in answer to a question, said that the Government hoped that all extra expenditure on seaplanes, engines, and equipment for the Schneider Qup would be borne privately. CUSTOMS UNION. * AGREEMENT NOT YET CONCLUDED, (Hainan amcm wjmwsss,) RUGBY, March 25. In reply to a number of questions in the House of Commons, the UnderSecretary for Foreign Affairs (Dr- Hugh Dalton) said the-information concern-! ing the projected Customs union between Germany ftnd Austria, fumiahed to tie Foreign Office by the German Ambassador and the Austrian Minister, was being very closely studied In its legal, commercial, and political aspeata. Nci agreement between Austria and Germany had yet been concluded, hut tho two Government# had communicated certain proposals whieh were intended to form the subject for future negotiation of a treaty. Whether or not-a union constituted along the lines of the proposal would involve a breach of any treaty provi'N sion was a legal question which would be fully and Carefully examined, It would be impossbile to forecast the result of the proposed agreement on Brj* tigh trade, but the House could rest assured that the Government would use all- proper moans to prevent injury, as, the result of-any such agreement, to the trading interests of Great Britain. The text of the proposals was communicated only last Monday, but it was; not until Friday that they received even the first intimation, which came not from the German or Austrian representative 1 , but from the French Ambassador, wlio caiied at the Foroigu Q&ce, A communique issued by the British Embassy at Paris stated that the British and French Foreign Ministers had considered the situation created by the proposed union. Mr Arthur Henderson, Minister for Foreign Affairs, had informed M. Briand that he bad ex* pressed the strong bope that, before Austria and Germany proceeded any farther in the, negotiation of the. proposed union, the opportunity would po giVen to the Cowcii of the League of Nations, under whose auspwei the Protocol of 19§a was negotiated, to assW itsoW at the May meeting mt the proposals were not contrary, to the engagements given by Austria m that instrlmeiit, •