RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20811, 2 September 1929, Page 13

RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA.

QUESTIONS IN THE... HOUSE. : MR MacDONALD’S STATEMENT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, July IS. V^“.. reply to » question in the House of Commons, -Mr A.- Henderson; the Foreign Secretary, said' that‘the So viet Government had not approached his Majesty’s Government through any channel, but, ah invitation for a responsible representative of the Script Government to visit' London in order to discuss the most expeditious procedure for reaching a settlement of; outstanding questions had been qent to the. Soviet Government through the: Norwegian Government. Sir A. Chamberlain (Birmingham, Wl, U.) asked, the Prime Minister whether, as papers were laid and an opportunity affprdsd to the House to express its' opinion diplomatic .relations with the Soviet Government’were broken off, he would-afford the House a like opportunity of expressing .its opinion before they were resumed. s - A similar question was put by Commander O. Locker-Lampson, (Birmingham,. HandSworth, U.). Mr MacDonald (Prime, Minister); I have personally, examined the procedure of 1927. Certain papers were laid before the debate, of May 26, 1027, on the Arcos raid, but not before the late. Gov eminent had taken; action and -carried out the raid. His’Majesty's . Government would certainly propose to lay. papers on .the - subject of the resumption of diplomatic relations with the Soviet Government as soon ae-possible, 'and the appropriate time will, presumably, be when the Correspondence has reached, some issue. It will ;bo within the recollection of the right hoh. gentleman that in 1927 the debate was asked, for and granted after the decision of the Government had been taken. If the right horn gentleman has in mind that we .should , follow precisely what was done by our predecessor? in; 1927, that is exactly .what I have in my mind also. '■ . ; : MR BALDWIN'S;PRECEDENT. 1 Sir A. : Do we understand that the. right, horn gentleman ; wiU complete hia. negotiations, make his decision, and bbt will not take the final-step-until this House has been given an opportunity: of expressing an opinion? - Is it not.a Mr Baldwin told : the House of our intention ;to break off diplomatic-: relations and announced that that .would be done’ if the HouSo did not express a v eontrary opinion , on, a day;, later. in. the week which-was named? * Mr MacDonald: The : 1927 situation was ‘ practically,. I think," as the right hpa. gentleman- has Stated it.. The Government pursued its, .inquiries and came 1 to its conclusions, and then the Prime Minister' stated to the House that, after! a certain date, 1 the decision"would be .effective unless the’House decided otherwise. That is exactly what I propose to do.—(Opposition cheers.) ", Commander O, • Locker-djampson: Are we likely to have a debate before the House- breaks up? Mr M'Donald: No; it is not.at all.likely.’ Commander'O. Locker-Lampson : Then they will come in without any discussion at all?—(Cries of “No”) . ; Mr Lloyd George ’ (Carnarvon Boroughs, Li.): Does.that mean that, if the negotiations between his -Majesty’s Government and the Soviet . Government are not concluded before wo , separate/ the representatives of the Soviet: Government will not be admitted to this country until October or November? Ido not suggest it. Mr MacDonald: It means that any conclusion that his Majesty’s Government may come to cannot become effective until it has been debated in this House.—(Opposition cheers.) SOVIET UNDERTAKINGS. Commander O. Locker-Lampson asked whether that meant that the Prime Minister wished to dodge.— (Ministerial cries of “Order.”) . Mr Smithcrs asked the Prime Minister whether he still adhered 'to the statement' of principles which Le : laid down In Ins Note on the Zinovieffi 1 er; and, before making au agreement as to the resumption of diplomatic relations with the Soviet Government, would he take steps to satisfy the House that, in. accordance with his statement of principle, these undertakings could be carried out both in the letter and in the spirit, and that the Soviet Government Lad the power to carry out any such agreement. Mr MacDonald: The circumstances in which the Note of October 24, 1024, was sent to the Russian representative in London have previously been explained to the House; and I. do not propose again to refer to that point. - As regards the principle laid down jn that Note, 1 have nothing to add to the statement which I made during the: course of the debate on July 2, 1929. With regard to the future, the position was explained by my right bon. friend, the Secretary of State for 1 Foreign Affairs, on July 5, 1929, and I have nothing to add to that explanation.

, P'e fii'sfc attempt to fly across the Engash Channel with an enginelesa aeroplane is to be made before long by Hans’ Richter, of Berlin, who will undertake the iliglit in a-.machine of his own construction, to which he has given the name of Astoria.. The .plane is a well-constructed machine,, although admittedly f fragile; whether it will be capable of crossing the’ channel remains to be seen. It has a span of 12 metres, a wing surface of 16 fnl uaro mgtres, and weighs 80 kilograms. The constructor claims, that it can descend on the water and remain there for some tune.in.case of : emergency.