PRISONERS IN RUSSIA.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18930, 27 April 1933, Page 8

PRISONERS IN RUSSIA.

MESSAGE FROM THE KING. -GRATIFIED AT RELEASE. United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, April 25. ' Mis Majestey the King, through his private secretary, Sir Clive Wigram, sent a message to the Metropolitan Vickers Company -expressing his gratification that four of the -company’s engineers who recently were on trial in Moscow had returned safely to England, and his hope that their two colleagues, who are still In prison -in Moscow, may also -soon return home. On behalf of the company Sir Felix Pole, chairman, requested Sir Olive to convey to Ilis Majesty the company’s dutiful thanks and warm appreciation -of his gracious message. This he undertook to communicate immediately to the engineers 'by whom, he said, it would be greatly valued and appreciated.

The Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, in the House of Commons today stated that the four engineers who had returned from Moscow insisted that Mr Thornton and Mr MacDonald were completely innocent, and he was convinced the Government’s action was entirely justified. IMPORTATION OF GOODS. PROCLAMATION OPERATIVE. EALY STATEMENT RBOBABLE. (Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 25. A Royal proclamation which was issued last week, a few hours after ■the British Government received news of the sentences passed on the British engineers at the Moscow trial, and under which the importation of about 80 per cent, of the Soviet commodities which this country had latterly imported is prohibited, lakes effect as from to-morrow night. A statement on the Russian question will he made in the House of Commons by Sir John Simon on Wednesday.