SPANISH DENIAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 92, 20 April 1939, Page 7

SPANISH DENIAL

TANGIER RUMOURS OCCUPATION NOT INTENDED OFFICIAL ASSURANCE f British Official Wireless) Received April 19, 11.15 a.m. RUGBY, April 18. I There have been rumours of ar I intended Spanish occupation of Tan I gier. Inquiries in official quarters it (London elicit the statement that thi I British Consul-General at Tangier ha. I been given an assurance by tin Spanish authorities at Tetuan tha I there is no truth in these suggestions which are described by the Spanisl authorities as sensational and abso lutely false. After the crisis of 1911 the Franco German Treaty provided a specie regime for Tangier and also for zone of from 15 to 18 kilometres out 1 side the town. The declaration of French protectorate over Morocci ' did not alter the situation in Tangiei which was understood to fall outsit! I that declaration. The populatio complained so loudly of the situatio i resulting from the jealousies of th Powers that in 1913 Great Britaii i France, and Spain decided to draw u ■ a convention and introduce th special regime which the treaties r< I cognised. After months of negolit s tion the three Powers were on th > point of signing this Convention who I the World War broke out. Tl' 1 Spanish Government then refused I sign. Tangier was little affected I: the war, though the German and Au. trian charges d'affaires were expcllc along with their delegations. In 191 the question of Tangier's future wi raised again, and at the end of tl year France and Britain signed Convention, Spain signing in the fo lowing month. The new status w; based on a charter of permanent net tral internationalisation, under tl sovereignty of the Sultan of Moroci i (who has recognised the French pri n tectorate over the rest of his domil i, ions). The Sultan maintains his coi -i' trol over Moslem and Jewish Moro, e can subjects. He is represented by a high official, and administration i . the town rests in the hands of t s administrator and two assistants wl carry out the decisions of the Legist live Assembly, and arc chosen by th n assembly, subject to ratification I 0 the committee of control. This cor d mittee consists of the Consuls of t e the foreign Powers —except ex-enen Powers —who signed the Algecir s Act. The Legislative Assembly co: n | sists of 26 members chosen from tl e subjects of the Powers represented Tangier. In 1928, Italy having reco. nised the Convention of 1923, and tl French and Spanish Governmen having arrived at a compromise in tl subject of the redistribution of the representation, a protocol for tl amendment of the Tangier Statu was issued. Both instruments ha' been adhered to by the Netherlanc Belgium, Portugal, and Sweden. Tl ■ population of the international zoi is given as 45,000, but 10 years ago was declared to be 56,000, of who 33,000 were Moslems, 12,000 Jew and 11,000 Europeans. Nine thoi sand of the Europeans were Spa l iards, and 1500 French. RETURN FROM SPAIN 2000 ITALIAN TROOPS. NAPLES, April 18. Two thousand volunteers arrive from Spain.