A PLOT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 December 1924, Page 5

A PLOT

AGAINST BALDWIN CABINET.

SSGKY?TIAN FANATICS’ PLANS.

- SCOTLAND YARD BUSY. v' " ' ■ 9 . (Scotland Yard lias received informution that fanatical Egyptian in London may- attempt to apeassinate the members ,of Mr Baldwin’s Cabinet on the occasion pfMhe official opening of Parliainont on* December 9. A sensational plot has been discovered, and Ministers are being closely guarded by armed detectives. In . addition, police reinforcements are being brought up from the provinces to cope with any disturbance.] BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT ;, (Received Dee. 6, ,10.35 a.m.) ■ • LONDON, Dec. 5.. . .’The Daily-Mail recalls the hysterical scjshes {luring Zaghlul’s visit to Londbhv Students, including many •women, as the “saviour of 4nd trie giver of complete independedce; . • r - Scotland: Yard never realised that fiherri -.'d’as such a large number of Egyptians' in. London. Precautions are npY/r. being ‘taken, as the authorities f&at. - that’ fanatical students . might Chorise triri occasion of the opening of Parliament as an appropriate moment for the assassination of Ministers. London police have been heavily reinforced by men from the provinces. The indications are that the assassination plot is the outcome of propaganda emanating from an extremist Egyptian Nationalist organisation called the Wafa, the emissaries whereof have spread ehainlilce throughout Europe. The methods recall the assassination of Sir, William Wyllie in 1908.

LONDON, Dec. 5. It' is understood that the Egyptian plot against the lives of the British Cabinet Ministers was timed for the opening of Parliament, where most intense precautions were taken. Th© Daily Express says the Government has received reports from Cairo of/aplot against the lives of British Cabinet Ministers, and plans to damage public buildings. & meeting of Ministers, was summoned) after which the Home Secretary (Sir W; • Joynson-Hicks) authorised precautionary measures, similar to those adopted during the period of the Sinn Fein outrages. /All the Ministers will henceforth be guarded by armed detectives. STATEMENT BY COMMISSIONER. • (Received Dee. 6, 9.50 a.m.) . LONDON, Dec. 5. With reference to sensational reports of- the Egyptian extremist conspiracy to'-assassinate British Ministers, it is learned that as the result of communications received in London yesterday fropi Lord Allenby, steps have been taken to increase the police protection of members of the Cabinet and Govern-ment-buildings. It is understood that he gave a warning that members of Wafd, Zaghlul’s party organisation, of wham; there are many in England, are becoming restive and likely to be disorderly.

The document was submitted to a special meeting of the Imperial Defence- Committee, after which the chiefs of Scatland Yard were consulted. Additional Scotland Yard officers are no-dr on duty at Whitehall, and are mostly armed with revolvers. It is pointed out that there are many hundreds of Egyptians in England, mostly students.—Reuter.

In reference, to statements in the press in regard to the conspiracy to attempt the murder of some prominent member of the Government, the Home Secretary states that the precautions taken to protect Cabinet members should not be taken as implying that the police are seriously anxious. They have; certain information and are making inquiries which it is undesirable to reveal at present. While these are in progress the Commissioner, in view of the extent of his responsibilities for the safety of Ministers, felt that lie must advise the Home Secretary, as a necessary precaution, to authorise the reimposition of the same protective measure which has operated .on>; past occasions, for instance, during the Irish troubles three years ago. It is hoped that the result of the police inquiries will be to enable the precautions to be relaxed before very long. —Reuter. THE SIRDAR’S WIDOW. QUESTION OP COMPENSATION. Received Dec 6, 10.50 a.m. V r ; LONDON, Dec. 5. A. telegram has been received from Lady Lee Stack (widow of the Sirdar), declaring that the report that she declined i the British Government’s offer of £300,000 as compensation for the loss ’of" her husband, was baseless. She had >'XK>- knowledge of such an offer.— Reuter;

NO:. INTERFERENCE FORBIDDEN

BRITAIN RESERVES DISCRETION

GENEVA, Dec. 4. Britain on November 1$ sent a Note to the secretariat of the League of Nations,' referring to the resolution of the Assembly on October 2, 1924, which held .that the disarmament protocol was dgbn for signature by non-members of tbe .League.

As'ithe terms of the resolution might suggest communication of the protocol to Egypt, the Note recalls the British notification of 1922 to the other Powers that the subject of special Anglo-Egyp-tian relations is defined in the declaration ;ffecognising Egyptian independence j -which relations vitally involve the rights and interests of the British Empire. -Therefore any attempt at interference in the affairs of Egypt by anothei/ipower will be regarded as an unfriendly act.

Thej Note says His Majesty’s Government's consequently unable to admit that :.the protocol, if signed by Egypt will. Affable the Egyptian Government to iffybke the intervention by the Leagffe. in the settlement of matters absolutely reserved to the discretion of Government. The; Secretary-General has replied, in-quitibk-whether the British Government intended the Note to be circulated to the Powers to whom the protocol was sent.;. A reply was received on December 3; stating that this was the British' Government’s desire. The Note wasVffJjbordingly so circulated.