FRANCE’S DEBTS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1928, Page 1

FRANCE’S DEBTS

PA A* AI ENT TO BRITAIN. RUGBY, June 28. Questioned in the House of Commons to-day as to the non-ratification by the French Gvernmcnt of their debt agreement with Britain, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that he had no intention of making representations on the matter to AL Poincare, ns such a course ho would consider, was unsuitable. Explaining the position, he said: “When wo signed the debt agreement and accepted a large abatement of our claim it was on the definite understanding that the French Government should make its self responsible for securing the ratification of the agree-' meat as soon as possible. When AT. Poincare formed bis Government it was assumed that he accepted this understanding. Nothing that has Huce passed justifies the suggestion that the intentions * of}'»the French Government have been lii any 'ia\ inhered. In. the meantime the payments due under the agreement for the financial year 1926-27 have _ been duly met, and the French Government have undertaken to pay the £8.000,000. which is due in the current financial year, half on- September lotli. next and half on March 15th next.

J?R AT’S ADMISSION. f • ' PARIS,( July 1. The police at Algiers lengthily questioned Jerome Prat, who eventually breaking down cried: —I am a lost man'. Kill me. I fleserve it. Prat bad a motor car. which the police connect -with an Algierian chaffeiu found murdered in the desert-ami the hotly burned. It is though Prat hired the car to perpetrate ♦nother terrible crime in. order to gain possession. A search of the luggage, revealed several women’s handkerchiefs, notes to. the value of "twenty-five ling, a woman’s gold watch, a cheque 'valued at £175 sterling, payable. to Mademoiselle Edel. one of the murdered. - -