HAGUE CONFERENCE

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 31 August 1929, Page 5

HAGUE CONFERENCE

POLITICAL AFTERMATH. REGROUPING OF POWERS. ITALO-FRENCH RELATIONS. United trees Asaociation—by Electric JU-iegrapii Copyright.) (“Times” Cables.) LoNBON, August 30. The Italian j/Tess 1 .sees as tlie outcome oi Tne Hague reparations >«uJterencej ia ipossiDie Ttaio-r reueii rapprocliment. Tlie Lome corresponuenc of "The limes’’ says it is also the chiei: subject of conversation in political circles, where Britain’s attitude at the conference is interpreted as an intimation to l’rance that the mitente Cordaile is ended. Will i ranee, thus unexpectedly deserted by her former ally, now turn to Italy, wnicli bore with her the brunt of tne Hague battle This is tne theme of several leading articles which admit the reasonableness ol an xtaiotrencli understanding, especially as the fit. non. Philip snowoen "is evidently determined to support tiermany . ” The "Giornale d’ltaiia” says Italy will never forget the bitter words spoken at Th xiague, nor the "Jtnglish offensive" against the Allies

A FINANCIAL AGREEMENT. TION. COST OF RHINELAND OCCUPATRLBtTE To ML SNO'WDjsN (United ' Press Association—By Electric iccgiaft Uopy-iigui,.) iAustralian Press Association. > THE HAGUE, Aug. 29. Germany and six other Powers have reached a financial agreement. An announcement to this effect was made when a meeting of the six Powers ended. It was then stated that a full agreement had been reached regarding the costs of occupation after September 1; also in regard to the surplus during the last five months of the Dawes plan. Tlie actual embodying agreement is now being drafted The first problem, was solved by Germany agreeing to pay half and England, France, and Belgium the other half. Britain contributed; to the settlement by .agreeing to renounce in Germany’s favour a portion of her unconditional annuities. The financial settlement includes cancellation of the right oi re-export of deliveries in kind. Germany will reduce the proportion of coal sent to Italy in the first year by one and a-half million tons. Britain will thus benefit to the extent of a million tons annually. The newspapers pay warm tributes to Mr. Snowden’s conduct of the negotiations and his success, not merely in securing a definite reduction in the British financial sacrifice, but in stating with determination the Britisli viewpoint, which on grounds of pure justice has never been challenged, and insisting that it should be taken into proper account. in presenting his report to the political commission, in which the Rhineland evacuation decisions were recorded. the British delegate, the Rt. Hon. Arthur Henderson, chairman of the commission, said he believed it would give satisfaction to all the Governments and peoples concerned. M; Briand and Dr. Stresemann paid warm tributes to the patience and skill displayed by Mr. Henderson as chairman. of the commission-

ITALY’S PURCHASE: OF COAL. HUG BY, August 29. The annouueemeut that Italy has agreed to purchase 1,009,000 tons of British coal yearly for three yearn at the 'best British market export prices, as part of the new reparations settlement has been received with gratification at Cardiff, though it is not anticipated that it will have any very marked effect on the coal export trade of South Wales. Before the War Italy took about 5,000,000 tons annually of South Wales coal, but last year, owing to the effect of the German reparations coal, this fell approximately 2,000,000 tons.