INFORMATION LEAKAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26641, 11 December 1947, Page 7

INFORMATION LEAKAGE

TRACED TO ROME EMBASSY BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE SECRETS N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 9 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 10. Allegations by the former Chancellor of Austria, Kurt von Schuschnigg, in his book, “Austrian Requiem,” that a member of the entourage of the then British Foreign Secretary, Mr Anthony Eden, sold British Foreign Office secrets to the Italians in 1937 were answered by Mr Hector McNeil in the House of Commons. Mr McNeil said the allegations made by von Schuschnigg had been closely examined, and the conclusion had been reached that the references were inaccurate. It had, however, been established as a result of an investigation conducted during the war that during 1937 an Italian servant at the British Embassy in Rome obtained possession of certain confidential papers, which he had sold to the Italian authorities for large sums of money. It was to this leakage that von Schuschnigg undoubtedly referred. Mr McNeil" added that the source of leakage had been conclusively established when the servant in question had been arrested and interrogated in 1944. Mr E. 'P. Smith (Conservative, Ashford) asked what happened to the Italian. Mr McNeil: We held him and questioned him, apd no doubt our .language was nor tender, but he was an Italian national and we had no power in law to proceed against him. Asked by Captain Raymond Blackburn (Labour, King's Norton) whether, in view of these facts, he would repudiate a repetition by Mr William Gallacher (Communist, West Fife) of the fact that Lord Vansittart, then Under-secretary for Foreign Affairs, was concerned in the matter, Mr McNeil said he was indebted to Captain Blackburn for the opportunity to do so. ' “We are satisfied that no leakage occurred at this end,” said Mr McNeil, “ but we know that this unfortunate and inexcusable leakage did take place from our embassy in Rome.”