BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1924, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. Till-: DEBATE RESUMED. LONDON, Jan. 18. The House of Coimilous ivas crowded for the resumption of the debate on the address in reply. A lengthy statement was made by Sir Ronald -McNeill in reply to the indictment of tlte Government's foreign policy. He pointed out that foreign policy essentially was continuous. It there had been gross mismanagement in the past lice years, tile (government’s chief critics would ho most largely responsible. Deferring to the Tangier Convention, he emphasised the agreement had secured the permanent neutralisation of Tangier and the maintenance of the open door, thereby establishing an international regime which would clfcctually prevent any one Power from being predominant. Mr l.lovd Gem go asked who controlled the port. .Mr McNeill said that the share capital of the international company there would be distributed as follows: France, :ii) per cent each; the Shcreefiau Government, the lull-national Administration, and the other countries, each It) per cent. Consequently only J!(> per cent of the capital would be in the hands of France. He said that he was confident that the House of Commons would be given an opportunity of discussing tin- agreement if it desired. Colonel John Ward declared the agreement practically handed over the port to France. Continuing, Mr McNeill said that the Government should lose no opportunity to enlist the assistance of the United States or to take every means open to them to arrive at a solution of tinreparations question. As regards the separation of the Rhineland, the Government’s attitude has been (hat they were unable to sanction any separatism amounting to the independence of the States l\irmin.gipnrt. of tin- Boich wlnVli would take them outside the lleieli, because that would alter the whole situation in regard to the Treaty, but, if they wanted home rule inside the Reich, then Britain would not interfere, provided that, there was a sufficient demonstration that it was the will of the people themselves. Obviously in the greater part of the Rhineland, lie said, the Separatist movement had not been spontaneous, and owing very largely to the influence of Britain, supported bv Belgium, it had come to a natural end, but in the Palatinate it had assumed graver proportions. At first it appeared that it might lie genuine, but later the Government bad concluded that it was not now genuine, and believed that if it were left to itself, it would very soon collapse.

The Government had sent Mr Clive to the Palatinate toinsceriaiji the facts This has caused a certain amount of additional Anglo-French friction, but he Imped that the friction would l>e soon smoothed over and lhat Mr Clive’s report would enable the Government to clearly determine its action. UNTSUAI- FEATURES. EON DON, Jan. l(i.

'Jliree unusual features were noticeable in connection with tin* pageant cl tli,* opening of Parliament.

Om- was that the Prince of Wales sat in a ilosed carriage, with his head buried in Ins cliest, ami bis 1 usli.v over his eye--, quite oblivions f■ t the cheers of the crowd, and not a> usual, smiling and saluting. A strange sign iii the Mali was that large numbers of men remained covered while tile King and Queen passed. One woman poked off a man’s lutt with ' provoking imprecations.

There were several eases of '•Nerve.)’’ reported among the Guards’ o(overs. V nall' the ■ .ire. patterns of soldierly calmne.- r. One e Hitr-r get t«e lines e! troop- mixed. He gate t'l'v order ‘•Right turn!" instead of “Left turn!” lie then ordered them to form fours before they had numbered off. A sergeant hurried to the rescue, ami lie audibly whispered the commands, thus provoking general laughter.