All Eyes on Fort Belvedere

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 291, 9 December 1936, Page 5

All Eyes on Fort Belvedere

KING'S DECISION NEAR AT HAND. SIGNIFICANCE OF LORD BROWNLOW. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyrigh t. Received Tuesday, Midnight. LONDON, Dec. 8. The News-Chronicle says Cabinet has been summoned for to-morrow. According to the newspapers the King’s decision is expected to-day or to-morrow. A car. believed to be carrying documents from London arrived at Fort Belvedere at 2 a.m. All eyes are now set on Fort Belvedere when the Duke of York spent five hours last night, not leaving till 1 am. A terrific frost made the roads leading to the King’s country seat like a sheet of glass in the mornning creating havoc with the traffic and causing dozens of motor breakdowns. The large Royal limousine conveying Mr. Monckton to London at 8.45 had literally to crawl its way through stranded cars and lorries. There was little traffic to Fort Belvedere during the night with the exception of a mystery car at 2 a.m. which is believed to have brought documents. It seemed a quiet night within and only one light was visible in the upper story . after midnight. The King is still impossible of access. The prospect of a solution arising from Mrs. Simpson’s statement , entertained in the lobbies last night seemed to re-echo the hope as a distinct belief that paved the way to the termination of the crisis in his Majesty’s acceptance both of the new position and the will of-the people. There is a disposition to underline the fact that Lord Brownlow gave out Mrs. Simpson’s statement. The Central News Agency telephoned Lord Brownlow at breakfasttime but he declined to add anything to his previous announcement. Asked if any developments were likely in the next few hours Lord Brownlow said: “I don’t know anything about that.” Lord Brownlow is an intimate friend and confidant of his Majesty who is his godson and his heir was

named after the King. The Brownlows belong to the inner circle of the King’s friends. Sir John Simon and Sir Samuel Hoare, members of Cabinet, were the first callers on Mr. Baldwin, otherwise Downing Street was quiet. Mr. Churchill declined an invitation to broadcast to America. Tho Times’ lobbyist says Mr. Churchill experienced the most striking rebuff in modern Parliamentary history. The Commons had been irritated on Friday when he persisted in repeating his question and there was a real wave of anger yesterday when he returned to the point. There is evidence of the immense growth of mail to Fort Belvedere. Hitherto a motor-cyclist coped with it all. Now a postal delivery van is necessary. It is understood the increase is mainly letters from subjects. Mrs. Simpson Reads the Papers AFTER a GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP. Received Tuesday, 9.50 p.m. LONDON, Dec. S. The Daily Mail's correspondent says Mrs. Simpson had the first good night’s sleep since leaving London duo to vigilance of the French police who were guarding the lane approaching her villa throughout the night preventing cars and sightseers approaching. Mrs. Simpson rose at 12.30 p.m. and lunched with her hosts. Then wearing a green dress with a gold flour do iis brooch at the throat she walked, accompanied by Mrs. Rogers, in the garden. She appeared in good spirits. Later she asked for all the available newspapers and spent more than an hour poring over French, American, English and Italian journals and smiling at the fantastic reports in them.

Australia’s Position Clarified DEFINITE INFORMATION MAY ARRIVE TO-DAY Received Tuesday, Midnight CANBERRA, Dec. 8. After a Cabinet meeting to-day the Prime Minister stated that if no decisive information were received from London by the tune tho House meets to-morrow he would make a brief statement and after that adjourn.

Mr. Lyons pointed out to-day that there was no ground for the impression overseas that tho Commonwealth Government by summoning Parliament was in any. way trying to force the constitutional issue in the present crisis. Parliament had been summoned merely as a precautionary measure, tho Government having no definite proposition to place before it. Mr. Lyons considers definite information regarding the King’s position ■may. arrive early la-wqrrowo