GENERAL CABLES

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1940, Page 6

GENERAL CABLES

BALLOON DAMAGE.

(United Press Association—-By Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

LISBON, December 2

Firemen in Mirandella have captured a balloon which it is believed escaped from a British balloon barrage. The balloon had trailed seven hundred yards of cable over the Portuguese countryside for two days, causing damage to the tlegraph and telephone lines.

A PEACE MOVE.

LONDON, December 4

The “Evening Standard’’ says: The House of Commons is' expected soon to debate British peace aims. The debate is to be initiated by, the Independent Labour Party. Mr J. McGovern (1.L.0. Member for Shettleston, Glasgow),> will move a motion attacking the Government for not having stated its peace terms, and for having failed to call a Peace Conference.. .

Independent Labour Party circles are of the opinion that the motion will receive the support of twenty of the

members. The Official Labour Party will meet shortly to define their attitude towards the “peace planners.”

SHORT OF LABOUR.

LONDON. December 3

The . “Daily Express” says : The Lancashire cotton industry is again short of operatives and this at a critical moment. As a result of the shortage an order for one hundred million yards of cotton goods from the Government will not be fulfilled within the stipulated six months. Many Lancashire overatives have drifted to the munitions industry because- of the higher wages. These workers will remain there, unless they are assured of comparable wages and of reasonable security in their own industry.

MARSHAL PETAIN'S VIEWS. PARIS, December 3 Marshal Retain, in an interview, said: “Germany could, undoubtedly, co-oper-ate in the ' protection .of. out/North African possessions, which, are menaced by General de; Gaulle and by Britain. But France would then have to ;declav< War on - Britain. This would result in the bombing of Paris and of other. French .cities, which should not be allowed reoccur.

Marshal Retain added that M. Pierre Laval is shortly going to Berlin in order to discuss Franco-German collaboration.

BRITISH WAR CABINET.

—December 3:*

Mr Attlee gave a negative reply in the House of Commons to a question asking the Government to revert to the policy of having a War Cabinet entirely composed of Ministers free of departmental duties and responsibilities HOUSE OF COMMONS QUERY. RUGBY, December 3. Rt. Hon. Mr Attlee (Lord Privy Seal; was asked in the House of Commons to give an assurance that no definite, oi implied Act of Union will be entered into, or. irrevocably committed, between Britain and the United States without the Government first giving an opportunity for discussion on it. Mr Attlee replied he was not aware of any proposal of the kind mentioned, but lie was quite certain that if any such plan wer e to approach the region ol practical politics, it could only i e after prolonged discussion by legislative bodies on both sides of the Atlantic.