HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1927, Page 3

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

COMMONS SESSION OPENS. (Received this day at 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. S. In the ('ominous the autumn session opened without ceremony. Sir Cunliffe Lister in answer to a question said for the quarter ended !il)th September British imports from Russia were .CIKH), compared with £6,400,000 for the tune quarter in 1926. Exports to Russia for the same periods were £1.022,000 and £1,209,000, and re-exports £BOO,OOO and £2,200,000. Sir A. Chamberlain informed a questioner that anfii-BritisTi leclitig in China was diminishing. JJriti>h shipping was being oxperimonk ill) used in the upper Yangtes and merchants were returning to I (hang c/pulgsha The Governinent was 'considering wliat steps to take to deal with n revival of the anti-British boycott in Canton. Mr Baldwin announced a Bill enfranchising women of the age of 2l would not be introduced before ( hrist-

Mr Baldwin told a questioner that the Lqigue of Nations Preparafort Commission on disarmament would meet, on 20th November and the Council of the League early in December. The latter would doubtless give effect to flic Assembly’s resolutions. Though the Soviet was participating in the Disarmament Commission, he was not awiiro that it had made any statement of the extent id its armament.

Mr Worthington Evans said he understood the Soviet bought fil'y thousand tons ot nitrate, presumably for munitions, also large; quantities of leather tannins materials. IweL, copper and Tungsten which could 6*. used for either civil or military purposes. . . Hon W. Churchill admitted diat the year ended 9,lst October had yielded in betting duty £2,766.000 sterling, which was only lidf of what was expected. Mr Baldwin, in a statement said the Government anticipating .the late appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into Indian responsible government, had appointed the following: Sir Simon (Chairman), Lords Burnham and Strathconn, Commoners Cadogan, Walsh, Dane, Box, Alice. Parliament would not he asked to adopt -the Commission's report without a full opportunity for the expression of Indian opinion of all schools, lhoioi'ore it was proposed to report to the joint committee of both houses.Mr Baldwin’s motion for preference for Government business throughout the session was carried by 260 to 128. Mr MacDonald and Mr Lloyd George protested, demanding opportunities to discuss questions of unemployment, coal position, naval disarmament and the new prayer book. Mr Baldwin undertook to try and find the opportunities demanded.

BLUE NILE DAM QUESTION. LONDON, Nov. 8. In the Commons, Sir A. Chamberlain informed a questioner that he had received reports stating the Abyssinian Government had granted an American company a concession lor constructing a dam at Blue Nile. At present there was no official information on the subject. Such a concession would be violating the Aiiglo-Abyssinian treaty' ol 1902, under which Abyssinia agreed not to allow a dam to he built without Britain’s consent. He was confident Abyssinia- was not unmindful of this obligation. Asked if British and Americans were to light over the matter, Sir A. Chamberlain said he thought this was an hypothetical question. He might, in tlie public interest, state the question had not arisen between Britain and United States. lie did not anticipate any Awgta-Ainerienn difficulties.