PORTUGAL’S ACCEPTANCE OF PLAN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20514, 4 September 1936, Page 9

PORTUGAL’S ACCEPTANCE OF PLAN

SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION British Official Wireless (Received September 3, 5.5 pm.) RUGBY, September 2. The British Government has received, through the British Ambassador to Lisbon, a notification from the Portuguese Government of the latter’s acceptance of the principle of the proposal for an advisory committee in London composed of representatives of the Powers which are pledged to nonintervention in the Spanish civil war, and with the function of acting as a clearing house for facts and ideas in connection with the application of various non-intervention declarations. The Portuguese acceptance is accompanied by a number of suggestions and requests for explanations which Will receive consideration ni London ahd Paris. Officials Optimistic In the meantime, it is understood that the British Charge d’Affaires in Berlin is in touch with the German Government on this matter, and there is growing hopefulness in British official quarters that an early reply may be expected from Berlin and that it will be favourable to the scheme for a committee, which is increasingly regarded here as an essential safeguard of the non-interventionist position. Labour’s Disquiet The Labour leaders, Mr Arthur Greenwood, Sir Walter Citrine, and Mr J. S. Middleton, waited as a deputation on Lord Cranborhe at the Foreign Office. According to an agreed statement subsequently issued “they expressed disquiet at the present situation and emphasised the importance of effective steps to ensure that non-intervention agreements are effectively carried out.” Lord Cranbofne stated that the Government was alive to the Importance of an early meeting of the proposed committee to supervise the agreements.