BRITISH AFFAIRS

Southland Times, Issue 18967, 14 June 1923, Page 5

BRITISH AFFAIRS

IMPERIAL DEFENCE GENERAL SIR FREDERICK MAURICE’S VIEWS (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright). (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, June 12. (Received June 13, 8.15 p.m.) Field Marshal Sir William Robertson, presided at the reading of General Sir Frederick Maurice’s paper at the Colonial Institute on “Present Problems of Imperial Defence,” in the course of which the writer says:—“The day has passed when the Empire’s foreign policy can be adequately controlled by the British Foreign Office alone. The first step in Imperial defence, is an agreement as to policy and the next step, agreement as to plans. Just as the dominions’ statesmen should have a voice in foreign policy, so soldiers, sailors and airmen should have a voice in the preparation of Imperial defence plans.” Sir Frederick Maurice said he desired to see a General Staff, in reality. Such a body should not have executive authority and would not connote and difference with the dominions in the control of their own forces but would ensure timely common forethought. The sanest defensive policy was to devote themselves to the development of Empire resources, to shun all avoidable commitments, as they would a plague. He believed it would be in the best interests of the Empire to give active support to the League of Nations. The improvement of wireless and air traffic, was the prime factors in Imperial defence in bringing the units of the Empire closely together.

TEXTILE FRAUDS. BRADFORD MERCHANTS’ HEAVY LOSSES. LONDON, June 12. At a trial at the Old Bailey counsel made a startling statement that textile merchants in Bradford during the last two years had lost at least £2,000,000, owing to fraudulent bankruptcies in London. Frederick Rawlings was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for obtaining goods by false pretences. He allegedly used the goods to flood the market under cost prices so that manufacturers were in competition with their own goods which were never paid for. Rawlings commenced as a textile merchant in 1921 and obtained goods on credit from Bradford and North France by saying he was selling direct to Australia. His deficiency was finally £54, 000, but counsel said the conspiracy was much more extensive. Rawlings was not the guiding brains of the enterprise.

CONTROLLING FOOTBALL CROWDS. LONDON, June 12. Mr W. C. Bridgeman (Home Affaire) has appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Sir E. Shortt, ex-Minister, including Mr Toone (secretary of the Yorkshire Cricket Club), to inquire into the arrangement for dealing with abnormally large attendances at special sporting fixtures. The appointment is the result of events at the Cup final at Wembley. COCK-FIGHTING IN IRELAND. LONDON, June 12. Cock-fighting is increasing in Southern Ireland, the authorities not interfering. Two thousand spectators witnessed a contest at Clones, the birds fighting representing different counties. One fight continued for half an hour after one bird had broken a leg.

DUTIES ON DRIED FRUITS. LONDON, June 13. (Received June 13, 9.15 p.m.) In the House of Commons, in committee on the Finance Bill, the amendment moved by Mr Day (Labour), to exempt dried fruits from the additional customs duties imposed under the Bill, was defeated by 249 to 165. Sir William Joynson-Hicks said he could not abandon the duty which yielded £BOO,000 a year, and involved a charge of only 6d a year for each family in the country.