CABLED BRIEFS

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32219, 11 February 1970, Page 13

CABLED BRIEFS

Plan The British House of Commons last night approved in principle a bill which will give six million of Britain’s 8,750,000 women workers equal pay with men for similar work by the end of 1975. Industrial leaders say that the proposals will cost them an extra £6oom a year.—London, February 10. Britain's Currency Britain’s change-over to decimal currency will defin- { itely take place on February ; 15 of next year, the Govern{ment reaffirmed yesterday. There had been speculation 'that the Government would {welcome a postponement be{cause it feared public reac{tion in a General Election year to price rises which might follow decimalisation. —London, February 10. Aust. Wheat Exports Australian wheat exports to China more than doubled in the six months ended December, 1969. compared with the same period in 1968, accordj ing to figures released today b. the Commonwealth Statistij cian. Sales in the 1969 i period were 1.279,608 tons, valued at £64*m.—Canberra. February 10. Malaysia's Defence ' The Australian Minister for External Affairs (Mr William McMahon) said in Sydney that it had been understood for a long time that Australia could not guarantee Malay sia’s territorial integrity. He was commenting on his first public statement on foreign policy yesterday, in which he said that if Malaysia were attacked from outside, Austrawould do what it could to help, but could not give the same guarantees as the British had given.—Sydney, February 10. Lesotho Crisis

Sixteen people detained under Lesotho’s new emergency laws have been released, and the curfew imposed on the country’s principal cities cut by two hours, as “steps towards normality.” The Prime Minister (Chief Leabua .lona-, than) seized power in the tiny Southern African mountain State at the end of last month, scrapped the General Election held just before his coup, declared a state of emergency, suspended the Constitution and committed the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Ntsu Mokhehle) and other members of the Basutoland Congress Party to prison. He accused the Opposition of falsifying the election by threats of violence and intimidation.—Maseru, Feb. 10