FRANCE AND REPARATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18276, 18 December 1922, Page 7

FRANCE AND REPARATION.

NO PUNITIVE MEASURES.

POINCARE MORE HOPEFUL.

CONFIDENCE OF CHAMBER.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 3.30 p.m.) A. and N.Z. PARIS. Dec. 15. M. Poincare, speaking in the Chamber of Deputies, said the situation had improved since a month ago. All hasty action imist bo abstained from. The Versailles Treaty gave France the right to take guarantees, but Franco die! not dream of taking military action or punitive measures against Germany. Sho wanted to bo paid within tho limit of Germany's capacity. M. Poincare contended that the Allied debts had not the same character as Germany's debt, and could not take precedence. Franco acknowledged her debt, but it was impossible to pay before Germany paid her. If necessary France would act alone, but France did not dream of territorial annexation.

The Chamber passed a vote of confidence in M. Poincare by 512 votes to 76.

MUSSOLINI'S DEMAND. AN ABSOLUTE SETTLEMENT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 4.5 p.m.) ROME, Doc. 15. Signor Mussolini, reporting to the Cabinet regarding the London Conference, declared that ho would not. attend the resumed conference in Paris unless in the meantime all difficulties were diplomatically swept away. The conference must absolutely settlo the reparation question.

THE LONDON MEETING.

GOODWILL THROUGHOUT. A. and N.Z. LONDON, Dec. 15. fin an address to the Unionist Association Mr. Bonar Law said that at the recent conference in London of flio Allied Prime Ministers, whatever Hio result, there had been nothing but goodwill throughout, nnd the chance of solving trio problems, however difficult, was enormously enhanced if all engaged wished to solve them.

NEW OFFER EXPECTED. INDUSTRIALISTS CO-OPERATE A. and N-Z. BERLIN. D<rc. 15. Captains of industry are co-operating with the Government in formulating fresh reparation proposals.