AIDING REFUGEES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 88, 30 April 1937, Page 5

AIDING REFUGEES

Appeals To Britain And France (Reoeived 30, 8-45 a.m.) LONDON, April 29. Despairing appeals to Britain and France to assist the refugees from Biibao were quickly answered. It was announced after a private meeting of members of the Commons that a nationwide appeal for funds would be iaunched and it is hoped to begin tbe evacuation in two days. A spokesnian said the Foreign Office would fully approve and this is interpreted to mean that the Navy would assist. Senor Picavea, representative of the Basque Government in Paris, interviewed M. Delbos, after which be said there were enouglx ships at Biibao to evacuate the refugees who want France and Britain to protect the ships against the rebels. The .Secrotary of State for Home Affairs, Sir John Simon, in a letter to Mr Wilfred Roberts, secretary of the National Joint Committee for Spanish Rqlief, said that the Government was prepared to facilitate the evacuation of a limited number of Baeque children to England, on condition that there be no charge on t'he public fuuds, also that eventually they be repatriated to Spain. The committee is arranging to evacuate refugees to France and Belgium as well as England. Tlie Chairman's Sub-Committee of tlxe International Non-Intervention Committee resumed at the Foreigk Office to-day consideration of the application of the observation scheme to the Canary Islands, and agreed that before a decision was taken there should be further study of the flnancial implications of the scheme for the Canary Islands in relation to funds available for the observation scheme as a wholc.