REPARATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18953, 29 August 1923, Page 7

REPARATIONS.

THE BELGIAN NOTE. DEMANDS CLEARLY STATED GERMANY TO FIND £275,000,000. Pr®M Association—By Telegraph—Copyrign LONDON, August 28. (Received Aug. 28, at 5.5 p.m.) The Brussels correspondent of the Daily Express says that the Belgian reply will bo published to-day. It points out that Belgium’s debts have risen from £1,700,000 in 1914 to £360,000,000 in last June, and her debts are still multiplying. The British Note leads her to suppose that in Britain’s opinion Belgium has already been treated over favourably . The reply points out that the priority accorded Belgium was only the incomplete execution of engagements which were contracted towards her during the war—engagements which were recognised at the Peace Conference. The Note stipulates that Belgium must have £275,000,000 from Germany. In discussing Germany’s capacity to pay, the Note says that it is not enough to reckon what Germany will pay. “In order to fix the sums which the Allies are to receive,” it says, “we must also know what sums will have to be paid. It is just to consider the creditors’ essential needs.”—A. and N.Z. Cable. A PROMISING REPORT. GERMANY AND THE RUHR. SETTLEMENT BY NEGOTIATION. , BERLIN, August 27. (Received Aug. 28, at 8.50 p.m.) A Socialist Parliamentary service message states that the Government has already taken steps to settle the Ruhr conflict by negotiation. There is reason to hope that the Government will soon find itself on sufficiently firm ground to proceed with measures of definite reorganisation.—A. and N.Z. Cable.