Naval Conference Reports Discounted

Northern Advocate, 12 May 1939, Page 5

Naval Conference Reports Discounted

(Received 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 11. Reports circulating in London that a conference of all British naval forces in the Far East will shortly be held at Singapore is scouted at the Admiralty, where it is pointed out that the commanders-in-chief of the East Indies squadrons conferred in March, while the Pacific Defence Conference has only just been held in New Zealand. The Admiralty refuses to comment on a report that as a result of the New Zealand conference certain British battleships have been ear-marked for the Pacific in the; event of an emergency. The “Daily Telegraph” earlier reported that it was believed flag officers of the British naval squadrons east of Suez would meet in Singapore shortly to discuss the modernisation of the system of co-ordination of the defences.

Books And Records Impounded

SYDNEY, May 11. An investigation of the affairs of the Scottish Loan and Finance Company, Ltd., was opened today by the Official Assignee, acting under instructions from the provisional liquidator, who was appointed yesterday by the Equity Court. Detectives previously had collected all the books and records, pending the hearing of a petition for the windingup of the company. The Equity Court was informed that a cheque for £SOO had been sent by a firm of Auckland brokers, C. J. Green Ltd., as the proceeds of a sale of preference shares, and that Albert Levitus, chairman of the company, had given directions that this cheque should be •’paid into his private account. Mr Levitus thereupon had been relieved of his duties as chairman.