BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1929, Page 6

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

IN THE COMMONS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Fob. 4. Colonel Howard Bury (Conservative) .asked the Foreign Secretary in the Commons about reports that Sir Francos Humphreys and his staff were to be withdrawn from Kabul, and whether in view of the importance of maintaining a British Minister there and the 'facility with which, in case of danger, lie could lie withdrawn bv air, lie would continue to maintain the Legation and staff at Kabul. Sir A. Chamberlain replied:—“The facts are that subordinate members of the Legation staff and other persons both British and foreign, whose continued presence in Kabul is not essential have been and are being withdrawn. The question o! .withdrawal of the British Minister and his staff must depend on circumstances, and i cannot make any statement anticipating the decision that may finally he taken oil this question, hut I must point out that removal by air, of oven a. small number of persons, may well prove to be by no means an easy matter. I take this opportunity to express, on behalf ol His Majesty's Government. their admiration for the courage and fortitude which Sir l rands Humphreys and his staff have displayed in the circumstances of great difficulty and danger. A similar tribute is due to Lady Humphreys and other ladies who were withdrawn some time ago. Hon. AY. Churchill was asked whether it was the policy of the Government to connect the settlement of fbo reparations questions with the problem of the evacuation of the Rhineland. He replied :The Government are equally desirous of securing a final settlement of the reparations and tin* early evacuation of the Rhineland. 'There are great difficulties connected with both questions, but there can lie no doubt that an agreement upon the former would make easier an .agreement about the hitter. In this way the two questions are inevitably connected and His Majesty's Governmeiu will lend all the aid they can to a settlement of both.