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VOL. II NO. 135
The
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SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, LITIA
Hongkong Telegraph.
TÜESDAY, MARCH 11, 1947.
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION
Questions
Footballers'
On Future Strike Threat
Of Islands
ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR
London, Mar. 10, The future administration of the Andaman and Nicobar islands was one of a number of questions which would have to be considered in connection with the arrangements for the trans- fer of power from Britain to India, Mr. Arthur Henderson, Under-Secretary for Indin, told Captain Gammans, Conserva- tive, in reply to a question in the House of Commons to-day.
Captain Commons had asked if in the transference of power in 1840 It was proposed to include these islands "'m view of the fact that they have no racial connections with India,"
Mr Henderson, in his reply. added: "I regret I am unable to anticipate a decision on it in ad- vance of considerations and the determination of those arrangements generally."
Captain Gammans: Is the Minister not aware that both the American and Russian Governments are laying a claim to islands and territories all over the world on the ground
WOTIO of strategic considerations and in view of Urat fact why should we not state definitely
now that we retire these islands, which are not in any sense Indian for the strate
e protection of Malaya and Cylon. DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES
Manchester, Mar. 10.
The Players' Union meet- ing here to-day decided on a strike of professional foot- ballers at midnight on March 21 if the Ministry of Labour do not arbitrate then on the soccer wages dispute.
Such action, threatens the
of biggest matches the season, including the Cup semi-final due on March 29, the Englarid-Scotland in- ternational due on April 12 and the Cup final on April 26. Reuter.
INTERCONNISTRATENATUSMAT:25+
OF PRES. ROXAS
Hand Grenade Thrown
At His Feet:
LUCKY
ESCAPE FROM INJURY
Manila, Mar. 11.
President Manuel A. Roxas escaped assassination last night when a hand- grenade was hurled at his feet shortly after he had delivered his final speech for approval of the "parity amendment" at Plaza Miranda, in the centre of Manila.
Economic Planning Of British Industry
COMMONS DEBATE OPENS
London, March 10.
Two important changes in the economic planning of British industry were announced by Sir Stafford Cripps when opening the three-day debate on Britain's "Econa- mic Budget" in the House of Commons to-day.
the
The first is the strengthening of | Interference with departmental re the staff for Economie Planning and sponsibilities and also ensure the second an arrangement for en- suring the co-operation of industry in planning organisation,
In future each government depart ment concerned with industry-would Mr Henderson: I do not think I have a whole lume planning staff we should necessarily follow the ex-under a senior officer charged with ample of other countries. Circumspecial responsibilities. Sir Stofford stances are entirely different,
sild.
As regards the population of the Andamans, it la n fact I believe flunt
12,000 are from India and only 5,000 Aborigines,
Captain Gammank: Is the Minister' not aware that
the
12,000
were mostly criminals who
sent were there and would he not agree that these islands are in no sense n part
of India.
Earl Waterton, Conservative: Will it require legislation to transfer these istands to a foreign govern- ment or can it be done by adminis- trative action.
Mr Henderson: I think the flan determination of the possession of these islands would have to be set- fled by agreement with the new government of India and would re- quire the approval of Parliament on the general question.-Reuter.
NEW JERUSALEM EXPLOSIONS
The Government had also decided to planning by the appointment of
strengthen Inter-departmental
joint planning staff somewhat on the lines developed m the joint wur production stall. There would be a appointment of a fulltime new executive head of the inter-depart- mental planning staff, who would need a small picked staff of with programming experience.
There were cheers when Sir Stafford added that the man selected for this Job would need to be of very special experience and attula. ment.
persons
STAFF'S FUNCTIONS
of this
Inter- The functions departmental staff, he said,
would cover the whole field of forward planning, but it would also be
Forty-five minutes after the a5- sassination attempt, police arrested suspect, Julio Guillen, who was identified by thre bystanders 35 the man who threw the grenade and with whom they allegedly grappled ង htt tried to Ext-away.
The
arenade, which landed almost at Mr Roxas' feet, was kicked three yards away by um clala near Roxas, exploding far enough to avoid any injury to the President.
Seven were known to have been Colonel Jose injured, including Tando, commander of the Malo- canan guards.
The police are reportedly working on the theory that the attempted assassination was an organised affair and after questioning Guillén at police hendquarters, whisked him destination, an unknown away to
to grill presumably
him on the identities of his accomplices and on
co-operation of industry in the orhideouts.. ganisation for central planning,
this
TRAIN SERVICES CUT : Other points made by Sir Stafford Cripps were: There would be a cut in passenger train services of ten per coat from June 1. Coal and Industry would take priority over passenger traffic on railways year, especially next winter.
Wholesale staggering of industriai houth
Was absolutely necessary. Two staggered dayshifts would avoid the danger of large-scale stopping of electrle power without having re- course to night-shift work.
The nation was consuming more tobacco than it could really afford. The Government had decided that far 1947, at any rate, they would not ration tobacco, but would con Unue to use all Empire tobacco that they could get.
PANIC FOLLOWS EXPLOSION The entire police force mobilised to comb the city for possible accom- plices in the assassination attempt. The police chief, Lamberto Javalera, ordered his men to round up all known Hukbalahap suspects within the metropolitan area,
The gathering at the Plaza scam- pered in panlo after the explosion
and men, women and children
were knocked on the ground
43
they got in the way of the slam pede. President Roxas had just finished his address when the deadly missile was thrown in his direction. Three persons threw
themselves on Mr
Roxas' body after the explosion to shield him from any possible second attempt. The President remained cool throughout the incident and engaged himself
end
in calming down became hysterical
immediately after the blast.
Roxas, who
on after, order was restored on Soon the platform and the President and Mrs Roxas were driven away to the Presidential Relace without further incident-United Press.
EMBASSY SHOCKED
Washington, Mar. 11. President Manuel Roxas of the News of the attempt to assassinnte
Philippine shocked the Philippine Embassy staff here to-day. "It was a dastardly attack to be regretted
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GEN MARSHALL
Vicar Gives A Grand National Tip
Plymouth, Mar. 11.
The Vicar of St. Barnabas Church, Plymouth, the Rev. J. S. Clarke, turned tipster on Monday in his parish magazine and advised his flock to back Bricett in the Grand National steeplechase.
Big Spending On Education
London, Mar. 11. Britain plans to spend over on education £22,000,000 more this year.
Education Department budgets published on Monday fixed total expenditures of 1947-48 at £136,- 185,535 compared to £113,785,112 in 1948-47.
Biggest
increase£10,870,009 will go in grants to local education Authorities, who will have to care' for more students because of the raising of the compulsory attendance
16 next month,
"The National is our greatest race he wrote of the world's biggest steeplechase 10 be run over a course of four and half miles, which includes 30 jumps at Aintree on March 28,
"An average man to hounds could fairly easily get round the course in his own time in the race where the chance of anyone finishing is four to are against.
"Lovely Cottage, Jack Finlay, and Prince Regent (order of finish in the 1040 National) are In this year. Given heavy going, Jack Finlay should do well and I fancy that Bri- cett who won at Cheltenham in De- cember should have a good chance of at least a place".
The Vicar, although not a betting man himself suggested in the article that it is no sin to wager a "bob" on the ponies--if not indulged to exocs, "To put a rational, argument The Home Office announced that against betting is very difficult" ho its 1947-48 budget called for an in- added "and though betting is a mug's crease of more than £4,000,000 game, to say that he who p mainly for the polleo department. ing on the National Is morally wrong Britain has been plagued for months is probably not true, People willing- with a crime wave, including ally take a ticket in a draw without continuing series of jewel thefts by any qualms and the principle is the one or more gangs of "cat burglars" same", who have eluded all pollee traps..
•
The Vicar, an amateur rider, oc-
The budget calls for £34,388,275 knowledged that the Grand National of which £21,333,515 will go for and the Derby were of considerable police. Other large increases were
Interest to everyone in Britain. Near- for prisons and reform schools-ly every Ausociated Press.
Political
The Government want to save an average of 80,000 tons of cool n week
Mr on domestle and industrial gas and electricity consumption. Failure to get it would mean further industrial cuts and they might be driven in the summer to a full domestic rationing scheme. specially concerned with reviewing The realistic Agure of the number the rest of the programme of 1047. of foreigners at work In Britain by The Government would suggest to the end of 1947 was 100,000. That various organisations on both sides of industry that there should be a was not the maximum and if the measures being taken to get them Government Planning Staff and of small board representatives of the were more successful than expected hoth sides of Industry, which should
so much the better. meet from time to time to follow by armoured the development of the plan. In- Into the city's dustry must be brought into the at an early stage, planning no.general alert was a president of the Board ports into hard currency markets. Il ftamos, Charge d'Affairs in the sounded for troops, the soldiers be- Trade, and must have before them would be foolish to throw away, absence of Ambassador Jonquím The Malayan Union Advisory gan to move in substantial numbers facts which the Government
de-perhaps for ever, good long-term Immediatly after the explosion. partments had at their disposal, markels which might be my do- "The attack means that the paritya B with Immediate effect pro-
The blast was followed by a few These arrangements, zald Sir minion for the sake of a purely tem-issue in the Plebiscite had been
enhibiting the wearing of uniforms rounds of rifle fire apparently from Stafford, would be calculated the direction of the zone under ensure strong direction from the military ruk-Associated Press. centre where it was needed without
Jerusalem, Mar, H. The explosion of landmines and hand-grenades shattered the silence in the northeast section of Jerusalem to-day, and squads of armed British troops accompanied police cars moved arcar
Although
EDITORIAL
Don't Tax Our HCL
to
THE point we raised yesterday regarding the probable Inclusion of high cost of living and rehabilitation allowances In Income chargeable for taxation has 'Ite, own degree of importance in, the general taxation scheme. -It involves a principle; it would also mean hardship for a substantial portion
of Hongkong's potential taxpayer. We plead for the exemption of HCL; allowances from taxable Incora because', It «da' unreasonable to place an Impost on what has officially been admitted, to be ah casontlat addition, 'to salários designed to help cover present-day "living costs. 'It was Govern2 ment who, in 1948, decided to establish the existing income levels, namely, 1941 basic rates of pay, plus an adjustable HCL and a fixed rehabilitation allowance. · It was a standard which the majority of private firms followed, 'so that now.most wage:barnera pre receiving 1941, basic pay together with a special subsidy, Taxation of this subsidy "must inevitably involva hard-
NO MASS CONTROLS There was no intention to intro- duce mass new controls to force ex-
porary market in the hard currency market. Nor would it serve any use ful purpose to direct exports to a dollar market from a good sterling market if the vacuum created would be filled promplly by exports from the dollar market.
The need for dollar exports woufu be permanent-anyway for the next
50
years.
Stressing the continued need for exports, Sir Stafford sald: "Some- thing like 25 percent of our manu- factured goods will have to K nbroad If we can get them there." He said that anyone who looke
by all right thinking people. We Uniforms Ban
are thankful that President RoxRE WAB
sold not injured"
Narciso
Kuala Lumpur, Mar. 10.
Elizalde who is en route to Manila. Council, at a meeting to-day, passed
upheld," Press Attache AI Valencia signifying association with political commented. The opposition forces organisations and the maintenance were mistakenly giving vent to of associations of military or similar feelings of desperation, resentment character. and animosity against the majority w"-Associated Press.
GREAT THAW
SETS IN
at the realistic economic picture of
London, Mar, 10.: Britain recently given by the The thaw which Britain was pre- Government as portraying or forematurely, promised. Last week, now
·| casting à catastrophe must com- really seerns to have arrivéd.......... pletely misunderstand the tempera-bringing with it slush, mud and fog ment of the British people, (Cheers), and floods.
The Attorney-General, Mr K. O'Connor, declared that a very undesirable development which had recently occurred in the political life of Malaya was the emergence of private uniformed forces of one kind or another. The use of force in the furtherance of political or other objects, constituted a challenge to the principles of freedom opinion, freedom" of speech and freedom of action, within the law,
inflexible to act in defence of those Malaya should be vigilant and
principles.
of
The bill strengthened the hands of "It is a challenge to the achievement All shipping, Including colliers for the government In affording tho
ahip, and force a number of taxpayers Into a roduced standard of living.. by the people and it is not a record London, was brought. to a halt early public proper proteellon-Reuter,
of their failure and impotence.".
Lo-day as thick dog covered the Thames estuary. By ls, afternoon WAGES POLICY
the fog in the Straits of Dover was Dealing with the wages policy, Sir being described as the worst of the
basts that despite the difficulties The stream of worm air from the' created by full employment em-southwest, which the Air Ministry ployers and employees would re-forecasts will spread to the whole main free to settle wages and con- country, has already freed most ditions in industry but they must, ronde niti railways. In London the wo believe, tako a much broader temperature, rose to 13 degrees by national view in national interest.
DANGER OF RIOTS SPREADING
Supporters of the "lax all Income" system will point to the fact that because of increased personal and Tamily concessions, many automatically escape taxation on salaries which include HCL allowances. This Stafford sald: "We proceed on the winter, but there are also thousands of other whose equitably and reasonably apportioned. HCL, bringe them well into the taxable clasics, oven after allowing for poraonal and family remissions. These will be the victims of an Imposition which is unprincipled. Government rooms apt to lose eight; of the fact that very few workers can, to-day, anve anything out of their incomes. Living modestly, they find their monthly pay cheques fully absorbed by 'essential expenditure. To take away taxation only $50 a month will to many mean savers 'hardship: further tapping
"Any question of increase of wiges yesterday's. brilliant sunshine: bitter Mosle of any savings they may havo, manager accumulate and retained over past years. - A second objection to the exclusion of living allowances from
and pronts must be accomplished, by Ohe result of the recent sasation may be that it enables Income, returns to show nominat salaries
produc- cold' was that at Bootle, Lancashire, cannot afford pneumatic drills were used in the. can easily be countered by Government fixing a maximum which any shorter hours of work unless the local cemetery for ten days to break
· paraan."Gan claim as" HOLY On average, the maximum now being pald
change can
shown to increase through 20 inches of lechard earth, to workers as HOL is $300. This fa a figuro which the authorities could output..
More than 20 graves were dug in take" as their limit for concession' purposes.
(Continued on Page 4)
this fashion-Router.
The
, and excemiye HCL allowances, thus creating a form of evasion.': This too, flom ponding increases in
nation
Oct
New Delhi, Mar. 10. Officials here to-day, expressed up- prehension that rioling might spread to Now Delh! to-morrow. when the carly afternoon, alx lower than In Hindus and Sikhs observe "anti- Pakistan" day in proteat against the demand for a separgie Moslem state.
Meanwhile, it was announced that a full brigade of troops was moving from Bouthern India to reinforce the Army in the Punjab-United Freas.
Tel: 27880
4-Power Conference
SURPRISE
MOVE BY
MOLOTOV
Moscow, Mar, 11.
The Soviet Foreign Minister, Mr Molotov, in a surprise move to-day injected the enormously complicated China question into the opening session of the Four Foyer Foreign Ministers' con- ference on Austrin and Ger-
many.
United States · Secretary of State George Marshall blocked an immediate vote on Molotov's proposal to place Chinn on the agenda.
Marshall then countered with a diplomalle surprise of his own, sug- gesting that the conference discusa the limitation of ullled troops in the occupied countries of Europe.
Air Molotov who prealded over the opening session of the momentqux meeting naid China should be dir- cussed in the light of the Moscow conference of 1945 at which the United States, Britain and Russia agreed to a policy of non-intervention In Chinese affairs.
THINKING IT OVER
Mr Marshall replied that he had no fundamental objection to such a discussion but wanted to think it over at least until Tuesday,
Mr Molotov sold, that he, too, would like time to think over Mar- shall's proposal about the limitation of allled troops before agreeing to place it on the agenda.
Should both subjects be scheduled for discussion, the scope of the al- ready complex programme would be widened, enormously.
the conference, held while the Soviet, capital was engulfed in hetivy snowstorm, moved with surprising speed and with many ex- Pressions of goodwill,"
The opening session or
The Ministers seated around the table in the white and gold room of the aviation industry house on Lenta- grad highway went about their work.. in a businesslike manner. "There was comment which
none of the acld sometimes characterised the previous big four meetings-Associated Press.
MASS OFFENSIVE IN PREPARATION
Belgrade, Mar. 10, The ometal Yugo-Slav News Agency quoted reports from Athens of plan for a mass land, sea and air offensive by Grock regular Salonika, Volos and. Kavalla, all in forces against the guerillas in northern Greece.
these raper 20d culb has pools on. The Agency asserts that fighter
planes-"many of them received He explained that he wrote the from Britain. In the last few, daya”--- article on the Grand National bo- were assembled on airfields and cause he was trying to brighten the transports were disembarking tanks magazine with subjects of topical in- | and troops at a northern "port.--- terest.—Associated Press,, 2 Press Relater, but
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