MOSCOW TRIAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21462, 8 April 1933, Page 11

MOSCOW TRIAL

v BRITONS' PERIL

COUNTRY'S GRAVE VIEW

POWER TO RETALIATE

BAN ON SOVIET GOODS

COMMONS PASSES BILL

By Telegraph—Press Associn(ion—Copyright {Received April 7. 5.15 n.m.) LONDON. Ar.ril fi The remaining stages of the bill to enable the Government to prohibit the importation of Russian goods to Britain, were completed in the House of Com-

Dions to-day. The Labour Party had tabled a number of amendments, and interest was taken in the attitude that Sir Herbert Samuel and his Liberal followers would adopt view of their abstentiou from voting on the second reading. When the amendment to limit the duration of the measure to one month was proposed the President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Walter Runciman, on behalf of the Government, refused to accept it. He proposed, howexer, a time limit of three months with a proviso that the measure could be continued bv means of Parliamentary resolution'before tho expiration of that period, or until a further resolution praving for it to be revoked, was passed bv each House. Sir Herbert Samuel said he was most grateful for Mr. Runciman's statement. If it had been made on tho previous day, the Liberals would have voted for tho second /reading. Replying to Sir Austen Chamberlain, Mr. Runciman gave an undertaking on behalf of tho Government that it would use the powers contained in the measure for no other purpose than to enable it to intervene effectively on behalf of British subjects now in peril in Russia. The bill was read a third time by 291 votes to 41. In closing the debate the Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, said he • hoped the powers conferred on the Gov•ernment would not have to be used. That depended upon the Russian authorities. He trusted this act—conducted in the light of day before the world —would bring home to the Soviet the gravity with which the British Government regarded the situation. The British Government was not pursuing a selfish, vindictivo or incorrect course. It was merely trying to help the imperilled Englishmen in Moscow. SOVIET IMPRESSED BRITAIN AS CUSTOMER EMBARGO DISASTROUS (Received April 7. 7.45 p.m.) LONDON. April 7 The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press says Soviet leaders are not underestimating the seriousness of Britain's threatened retaliation for the arrest of the Y ickers Company s employees. Britain is the largest buyer of Russian products, consequently an embargo would be disastrous. The trial will be a quiet affair. It is to 'be held in a small courtroom and will be quite different to earlier "show" trials. Apart from a few vitriolic editorials against the English "diehard hysteria" news of the whole affair is confined to formal communiques. The Government obviously is holding publicity strictly in check. COUNSEL FOR DEFENCE MR. MONKHOUSE'S CHOICE RUSSIANS AVAILABLE MOSCOW, April 6 Mr. Allan Monkhouse, the New Zealaflder who is among the Vickers engineers charged by the Ogpu, conferred to-day with tlio Russian. Collegium lawyers, from whom he is selecting counsel for his defence. The collegium ' includes a number of lawyers who were eminent in the profession before the revolution. . The Soviet newspapers omit all referdie© to "tli© debate 111 tho Houso of Commons. . M. Vishinskv, the Soviet prosecutor, has informed Mr. Monkhouse that the dossiers of the prosecution will be ready for presentation to counsel for the defence to-morrow. It is understood that the engineers have declined the Court a offer to provide counsel. The Metropolitan Vickers Company has telegraphed to Mr. Allan house authorising him to use whatever richts there are in Russia in,?respect of tho employment of lawyers for the Jefence of tho company's engineers.

COMMITMENTS MET PAYMENTS BY SOVIET CONTRACTS WITH COMPANY LONDON. April 6 A shareholder at a meeting of Aseociated Electrical Industries asked whether the sum of £1,500,000, which Russia owed the Metropolitan Vickers Company had been written off. Sir Felix Pole replied that personally he considered the arrests of the dickers engineers were not connected with the Soviet's financial commitments. All the amounts due to date had been paid, including a sum this week. Hie balance Would become due over tho next five

J-ears and ho. hoped it would bo paid. The company's relations with the Moscow authorities for 10 years had been most satisfactory. Its engineers were instructed scrupulously to avoid political controversy, and he believed they had faithfully observed these instructions. . . Mr. Robert Turner, solicitor lor the company, has been granted a visa and go 'to Moscow to-night accompanied by an interpreter. Ho will attend tho trial as an observer.