SPAIN'S INTERESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20516, 18 March 1930, Page 11

SPAIN'S INTERESTS.

BEST WAY TO SERVE.

GENERAL'S LAST HOURS. THINKING OUT PROBLEM.. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received March 17, 8.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 17. The Daily News to-day publishes a letter it had just received from the late General Primo do Rivera denying the report that ho went to Paris in order tofight a duel-. The letter said: " I have come to Paris to think out calmly, quietly and restfully the best way in which 1 can servo my country."According to Spanish custom the general's body will bo clothed in a white woollen robe, such as is worn in Spain by members of the Carmelites. The feet will be enclosed and the hands will clasp a rosary of black beads. STATE OF FINANCES. NEW MINISTER'S CHARGES. PREDECESSORS DENOUNCED. (Received March 17, 5.55 p.m.) MADRID, March 16. The new Minister of Finance, Senor Arguelles, has caused a stir by surveyingthe work of his predecessors under the late General Primo de Rivera. Senor Arguelles charged them with plunging the country's finances into chaos, juggling with the departmental accounts, allocating large Government contracts in order to Eecuro supporters, providing thousands of their friends with sinecures upon committees, and working up demonstrations in the streets in favour of the Dictator at enormous cost. The consequence of all this, said the Minister, was an unprecedented outgoing of capital. During de Rivera s regime, he said, the Budget deficits wero constantly increased until in 1929 there was one of two milliard pesetas. The former Treasurer had converted that deficit into a surplus by opening a fresh account under the pretext of an extraordinary Budget.