SAAR CONTINGENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21982, 13 December 1934, Page 13

SAAR CONTINGENT

BRITISH t FORCE OF 1500 GENERAL BRIND TO COMMAND British Wireless RUGBY, Dec. 11 As a result of the request made by the Council of the League of Nations that a British officer should be com-mander-in-chief of the international forces in the Saar, the War Office has appointed Major-General J. E. S. Brind to that post. The British contingent, which will number approximately 1500, will consist of the headquarters of the 13th Infantry Brigade, commanded by Brigadier J. H. T. Priestman; the Ist Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, and the Ist Battalion Essex Regiment, together with small detachments of other arms and services. The League.Council concluded a notable session to-day with a brief meeting at which the report of the committee dealing with the question of the international Saar force was adopted. The Council decided that a force contributed from Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden will be placedat the disposal of the Saar Governing Commission, which is responsible for the maintenance of order. It will number approximately 3300. Any expenditure involved over that for which provision has already been made will be met by France and Germany. The French representative, M. Massigli, announced that his Government would provide free transport for the detachments through France. The Council adjourned until January 11 instead of January 20, as previously arranged, and will thus be in session while the plebiscite is being held. General Brind has been commander of the 4th Division of the British Army since 1933. He entered the Army in 1897 and served in the South African War and the Great War. Ho held various appointments in England after the war, and from 1930 to 1933 served in India, first with the Royal Artillery and later as Deputy Chief of General Staff at Army Headquarters. RADIO TALK RESENTED "CREATING AGITATION" COMMISSION'S FIRM STAND (Received December 12, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 12 A message from Saarbrucken states that the Saar Commission has strongly protested against a broadcast talk from Stuttgart, "given obviously with the intention of creating agitation in the Saar before the plebiscite." The Commission adds that it will forbid all public broadcasts from German stations to tho Saar if such a precedent is repeated.