MR PIROW IN EUROPE

Evening Star, Issue 23122, 23 November 1938, Page 11

MR PIROW IN EUROPE

SERIES OF QUESTIONS IN COMMONS OBJECT OF VISIT EXPLAINED (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, November 22. (Received November 23, at 11 a.m.) A recent House of Commons answer in which Mr Malcolm MacDonald said the object of Mr Pirow’s recent visit was to discuss with the appropriate British authorities certain technical of the defence problem of South Africa, and those discussions having taken place and the questions involved having been settled, Mr Pirow had left for the Continent, but would return to England for a short time before sailing for South Africa, gave rise to several supplementary questions. Mr Henderson asked: “ May we take it that Mr Pirow, when in London, was not authorised by Britain to commit it in any conversations he may have with Germany in respect of German colonial claims?” Mr MacDonald replied “ Yes.” Asked whether among other objects of the visit one had been to discuss with Britain German colonial claims, Mr MacDonald said: “ Naturally, when a distinguished statesman from the dominions comes here we take the opportunity to discuss informally all sorts of international questions. Beyond that, and beyond the visit’s official purpose, no significance attaches to it.” Mr Wedgewood Bonn; Do we understand that neither directly nor indirectly has Dir Pirow expressed the views of Britain in Berlin? Mr MacDonald: That is the position.