News Nutshell

Northern Advocate, 16 December 1938, Page 5

News Nutshell

According to Weyer’s Naval Handbook, Russia is building three 40,000 ton battleships for the Baltic.

Signor Starace, Secretary-General of the Fascist Party, has instructed all Fascists to i*esign from the International Union of Ex-Servicemen, also from the Parliamentary Group of the France-Italy Association. The decision is regarded as an of the degree of tension between Italy and France.

A lance-corpo.-sf was killed and two privates wounded when the Green Howards were ambushed on the Nab-lus-Tulkarm Road. Reinforcements inflicted serious casualties on, their assailants. Sheik Elansari, , a Moslem dignitary, and member of a family who are rivals of the Grand Mufti, was shot dead by an - Arab. ♦ 1 * * ~

The London County Council has approved an expenditure of £2,824,000 for the duplication of the Blackwall tunnell under the Thames. This, with a further expenditure on the rehousing of 1924 persons, displaced fay the works, brings the total estimated expenditure to £3,122,220,

The President of the Board of Trade, Mr Oliver Stanley, announced in the House of Commons yesterday that negotiations were • proceeding with India, Burma and Switzerland to form new or revised trade agreements with Chile and Colombia .for new commercial treaties. ■’ j

The ban on women joining the administrative staffs in the Dominions and Colonial offices, is to be lifted as an experiment, according to the Minister, Mr Malcolm MacDonald. A few posts will be available each year subject to examination. The Civil Service Association explained that the posts, hitherto have been limited to men owing to the possibility of their going to isolated spots unsuitable for women. That argument no longer applies, as women doctors, nurses and others go abroad to lonely places.

The Foreign Under-Secretary, iMr R. A. Butler, stated in the House\of Commons today that according to figures issued on October 29, there were then 86 British nationals held as prisoners of war by General Franco in Spain, and 34 Canadian nationals. The British agent at Burgos, Sir Robert Hodgson, had taken further steps to expedite the conclusion of exchange arrangements, and he hoped that the release of the prisoners might be expected shortly.