REPARATIONS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 265, 5 August 1929, Page 11

REPARATIONS

MOMENTOUS CONFERENCE AT THE HAGUE THE YOUNG PLAN FIRM BRITISH RESISTANCE EXPECTED (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Australian Press Association. (Rec. August 5, 12.10 a.m.) London, August 4. Delegates from various nations are assembling at The Hague to participate in the momentous Reparations Conference opening on Tuesday at the Parliament Buildings. Most of the delegates will stay at the nearby seaside resort of Scheveningen. Thirteen countries will be represented and the delegates and staffs will number several hundreds. The proceedings will inevitably be protracted, and it is unlikely that they will be concluded before the League Council meeting opens at Geneva on August 29. It is understood Mr. P. Snowden, Chancellor of the British Exchequer, will offer i< firm resistance to the proposal that the reduction should be made at the sole expense of Britain, which certainly will lose at least two and a half millions per annum over a period of thirty-seven years if the Young Plan is adopted in its entirety. Moreover the German payments are divided into two categories—-thirty-seven millions unconditional and the remainder under certain circumstances postponable, under the Yo..ng plan the British share comes from the postponable portion of Germany’s payments. In other words, France and Italy, in addition to having their share increased at the expense of Britain, are given a prior charge on certain payment, whereas Britain is not only allotted a smaller payment, but is uncertain of getting even that. Moreover, Britain never recovered and never will recover the difference of two hundred millions sterling between what has thus far been paid to America and what she has received from Europe. Britain also objects to the continuance of deliveries in kind for a further deeennium, and the fact that the directorate of the new Internationa] Bank will include more French and Germans than British. There are also the thorny questions of Rhineland evacuation and the proposed committee of verification and conciliation. < REPRESENTATION OF DOMINIONS Australian Press Association. (Rec. August 4, 5.5 p.m.) London, August 3. The Dominions have been given an opportunity of being directly represented at The Hague Reparations Conference, but few are availing themselves of the opportunity. Australia and New Zealand are leaving their interests to British Treasury officials.

CAUGHT BY ERUPTION STUDENTS ON MOUNT ETNA ONE KILLED. OTHERS INJURED Australian Press Association. (Rec. August 4, 11 p.m.) Rome, August 4. Twelve students __ ascended Mount Etna at night-time 'to see the sunrise, when suddenly the crater erupted. One was killed, four seriously injured, and one is missing.