SOUTH- AFRICAN’S BERLIN VISIT

Southland Times, Issue 23674, 24 November 1938, Page 6

SOUTH- AFRICAN’S BERLIN VISIT

GERMANY’S COLONIAL CLAIMS NO AUTHORITY TO COMMIT BRITAIN (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, November 22. A recent answer in the House of Commons in which the Secretary for the Dominions (Mr Malcolm MacDonald) said the object of the recent visit to London of the South African Minister of Defence (Mr O. Pirow) was to discuss with the appropriate British authorities certain technical aspects of the defence problem of South Africa and, those discussions having taken place and the questions involved having been settled, Mr Pirow had left for the Continent but would return to London for a short time before sailing for South Africa, gave rise to several supplementary questions. Mr Arthur Henderson (Labour) asked: “May we take it that Mr Pirow when in London was not authorized by Britain to commit it in any conversations he may have with Germany about the German colonial claims?”

Mr MacDonald: Yes. Asked whether among other objects of the visit one had been to discuss with Britain the German colonial claims, Mr MacDonald said: “Naturally when a distinguished statesman from the Dominions comes here we take the opportunity to discuss informally all sorts of international questions. Beyond that and beyond visits for- an official purpose no: significance is attached to it.” Mr Wedgewood Benn (Labour): Do we understand that neither directly nor indirectly has Mr Pirow expressed the views of Britain in Berlin? Mr MacDonald: That is the position.