DAMMING THE BLUE NILE

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1927, Page 9

DAMMING THE BLUE NILE

CHAMBERLAIN MAKES STATEMENT BRITAIN’S RELATIONS WITH SPAIN. (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, Nov. 14. In reply to a question in the House of Commons, Sir Austen Chamberlain said he could only add to his previous statement in the House that, by an exchange of Notes in the Emperor Menelik undertook that, other things ■being equal, preference would be given to the proposals of the British Government and the Government of the Sudan and affirmed that he had no intention of granting a concession in respect of the Blue Nile and Lake Tsana to anyone other than the British Government, the Government of the Sudan, or one of their subjects. “As regards the second part of the question,” said Sir Austen, “the present position is that on September 22 the Regent of Abyssinia addressed to Mr. Bentinck, the British representative at Adis Ababa, a reply to a proposal which the British Government had made to him last May. I have recently instructed Mr. Bentinck by telegram to address a Note to Ras Taffari, which will carry these negotiations further.” Sir Austen Chamberlain also made a •statement regarding his recent conversation in Spain with the Spanish Prime Minister. He said: “Our conversation was of the most friendly, but also of the msot informal character. In the course of it I expressed a hope that Spain would resume her former full and valuable co-operation in the work of the League of Nations, and we discussed among other things the question of Taejder, on which conversations are proceeding between France and Spam, the results of which are to be reported to us when concluded.”