FRENCH GOVT. DECREES

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1935, Page 7

FRENCH GOVT. DECREES

FOOD PRICES FIXED < ' UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF [BY CABLE)—PRESS ASRN.—COPYRIGHT.) . ■<■ ’ . PARIS, August 9. . President Lebrun has returned to Paris from-h/vßoHday spent iu Lorraine. He came specially in order to sign Government decrees. - The last revision of these decrees occupied the attention of the Minis- > ters all day yesterday. It is understood that there was a discussion on measures to reduce the f food prices, which is a 'particularly - difficult matter. The meat question is especially complicated. The new financial decrees are believed to include a reduction in in- . terest rates to four per cent, for civil loans and to five per cent. , for commercial loans. The decrees will also provide for .the fixing of maximum retail meat- •; A campaign against unemployment will take the form of local public works, financed by savings that are being: effected through’ the decrees of JulylS.-, in, the budgets of the local authorities. •« The relief work will extend throughout France, but it will begin where it is most needed. It will be drastically . confined to French workmen. . - M. Laval, emphasises that the Government’s main effort is directed to the fighting of unemployment by the speeding up of public works to the tune of thirteen millions sterling. - There also are to be works for defence against flood damage, for which unskilled unemployed could not be used. A Central Anti-Unemployment Committee, whose duties are to include the suppression of overtime, is to be s created. The unemployment relief is to be improved. The farmers will bene- .> fit by a 10 per cent, cut in the farm rents. The Government are also annullng the import quota’s for a number of industrial y‘ M. Laval said: “To-day, already, our pressing financial peril has been averted. To-morrow a renewal of our activity will follow if the nation responds to the . Government’s “ new effort.” •’ - ? - ’•

TOULON CASUALTIES ' ' ' •; PARIS, August O. Latest reportAfrom ;,Toulon give the casualties' as five dead and- two bum dred injured. Amongst-those injured was the assistant Mayor of Toulon, whom the demonstrators attacked and.knocked unconscious. He was admitted to the hospital in a grave condition. Street skirmishes continued until 2. a.m., when order- was practically‘restored.’ " ■ ‘ m - Cavalry are patrolling, the ..Toulon streets. A ’batlalibn' of' Senegalese troops is also, op guard.. .Naval searchlights have been utilised to reveal the snipersx who TfaVd been hiding on the roofs/ ; Thee. Senegalese sharpshooters were, called in, tp dislodge them. The street lamps were all smashed and last night? the city was in darkness. , * > At Brest on evening the extremists catne into collision’ with the Mobile Guards. - One man was.injured. “L’Orient” demonstrators marched through tlie" streets. The police kept out of sight. —LATER. The workers at Brpst and Toulon arsenals have resumed. The liner Champlain has not departed from Havre, because she lacks part of her crew. Those who are lacking will meet later to-day to decide whether the crew delegates were too conciliatory when they conferred with M. Bertrand. The lafayette and other liners will leave on the due date.