MR PIROW’S MISSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 November 1938, Page 6

MR PIROW’S MISSION

NOT SPEAKING FOR BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON SUBJECT OF GERMAN COLONIES MR MACDONALD REPLIES TO QUESTIONS (British Official Wireless.) ' (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) RUGBY, November 22. In the House of Commons recently the Dominions Secretary (Mr Malcolm MacDonald said in reply to questions that the object of the recent visit of the South African Minister of Defence (Mr O. Pirow) was to discuss with the appropriate British authorities certain technical aspects of the defence problem of South Africa. Mr MacDonald said also that discussions having taken place, and the questions involved having been settled, Mr Pirow had left for the Continent, but would return to England for a short time before sailing for South Africa. These replies gave rise to several supplementary questions. Mr A. Henderson asked: “May - we take' it that Mr Pirow, when in London, was not authorised by Britain to commit it in any conversations he may have with Germany in respect to German colonial claims?” Mr - MacDonald replied: “Yes.” | Asked whether, among other objects of the visit, one had been to discuss with Britain German colonial claims, Mr MacDonald said: Naturally when a distinguished statesman from the Dominions comes here, we take the opportunity to discuss informally all sorts of international questions. Beyond that, and beyond the visit’s official purpose, no significance attaches to it.” Captain W. Wedgewood Benn (Labour): “Do we understand that neither directly nor indirectly has Mr Pirow expressed the views of Britain in Berlin.” “Mr MacDonald: “That is the position.”