EGYPTIAN CRISIS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 May 1928, Page 2

EGYPTIAN CRISIS

Britain's warning. A DEFINITE DEMAND. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) RUGBY. April 30. Sir Austen Chamberlain read the text of the warning to Egypt as follows : “1 have the 110110111 to inform you ilia since the presentation to your Excellency of my Note of April -till bis Britannic Majesty's G-oveiunio-nt in Great Britain have watched with increasing concern growing evidence of the intention of the Egyptian Government to proceed with certain legislation allotting public security. This legislation, as your Excellency mustbe fully aware, not merely from verbal communication, which 1 had the honour to 111 alee to you on the l!)tii inst.. but also from previous similar communications, made both to your Excellency’s predecessors and to yourself before and after the date of the aide memoire which I had the honour to present to his Excellency Sarwtit Pasha on .March 4th last, is covered b.v the reservation reaffirmed in my Note of April 4th.

“I am now instructed by his Britannic Afnjcsty’s Government to request- your Excellency, as head of the Egyptian Government, immediately L> take the neecssary steps to prevent the Bill regulating public meetings and demonstrations from becoming law. 1. am instructed to request your Excellency to give me a categorical assurance in writing that the above mentioned measure will not be proeedtd with. “Should this assurance not reach me before seven p.lll. on Alay 2nd. 1 1 is Britannic Majesty’s Government will consider themselves free to take such action as the -situation may seem to them to require.”

OFFENDING ARTICLES. AIMED AT POLICE AUTHORITY. RUGBY, April 30. The general tone of the proposed Egyptian Bill may be indicated by one or two of its. articles.

Article 9 states: “The following persons will lie liable to a term cif imprisonment not exceeding one month or a fine varying from 200 piastres to 300!) piastres'.; first, any official who' makes use of his authority to dissolve, or attempt to dissolve, a. private or puiblic meeting except in the two eases foreseen in Article 5: second, whoever by force or threats, prevents or disperses a private or public meeting or attempts to commit one of these acts, as well as any official who renders liimseH guilty of one ol these int riel ions, aphid from the two cases foreseen in Article 5.”

Article f> stipulates that a delegate of the Administration or a police officer: “Afav only dissolve, a meeting if a written 'demand lo do so is made to him by tlie committee organising tlie meeting, or in eases of serious disorders, li order is restored the meeting may lie resumed.” Article S places the maximum penalty for the promoter of meetings leading to disorder at one week’s imprisonment, or a .fine of 100 piastre-;.

It will thus he seen tlmt agitators causing disorders rim the risk of extremely light penalties in comparison with those inflicted on police officers who : attempt, in pursuance of their duty, to prevent such outbreaks. Since agitators frequently make foreign. communities the target of their demonstrations, and since the police authorities would he- se obviously restricled in the performance ol their duties, linn measures to prevent such a Bill becoming law (become necessary on the. part of the British Government. which remains responsible for the safety of the lives and property of foreign communities in Egypt.