Coca-Cola
VOL. IV NO.. 74.
For the Proprietor of
HONGKONG TELEGRAFIL, For and on behalf of
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, L'TI.
"Filmtoz and Publisher
The
TODAY'S WEATHER: Moderate or fresh East windi; fair. Noon Observations: Barometrio pressure, 10126 mbs., 10.08 In. Temperature, 68 deg. F. Dew point, 62 der. F. Relative humidity, 80. Wind direction, East, Wind force, 18 knota,
Law water: 2 ft. 3 in. at 4 p.m. lgh watert 6 ft 2 in at 10.14 p..
hongkong Telegraph
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1949.
"New Deal" For The British
Defy Govt.
Hongkong Grocers To People In Plane Accident
Singapore, Mar, 30-A British Overseas Airways Corporation flying boat.
13 carrying
passengers from Hongkong to Singa- poro
yesterday,. force- Janded at Catlai, in Saigon, engine caught after, one
fire.
A BOAC official said dis- tress signals were picked up at Singapore but the pilot had extinguished the fre while the aircraft was still ; airborno bufore landing safely. Reuter.
Paris, Mar. 29-French grocers have decided to defy the Government by beginning the unrationed sale of chocolate, lard, margaring. vegetable and edible fate from April 8, and off and all milk pro. ducts from May 1.
decision of the Federatiori Was
after announced today private meeting last night. 1 was followed by statement from the ligh Commissarist for food suppiles, warning grocers that "hasty action" would endanger A pro- the gressive return to freedom of food sales- Ileuter.
Sokolovsky Promoted
ENGINE ON FIRE Details of the force-landing were obtained from the Hong- kong office of the BOAC by many, had been named first Telegraph reporter this
ing.
· An
ofleist
WAS
-
Commonwealth
BELIEVED TO BE
A MAJOR SUBJECT FOR
PMS'
CONFERENCE
London, Mar. 29.-A new concept of Empire may be developed when the Commonwealth Prime Ministers meet in Downing Street next month for their second full-scale conference within seven months. The meeting, officially regarded as one of the most momentous in Commonwealth history, will open on April 21 and is expected to last about a week.
The Prime Minister, in making the announcement in the House of Commons, told Members that the Prime Ministers will consider "certain constitutional questions" not fully discussed at the last Com- While his short statement did monwealth Conference in October.
not elaborate on the topics that the Commonwealth leaders will dis- cuss, political quarters said they anticipated there would be two major points:
1.—A possible "New Deal" for the Empire, involving a formula to re-state the position of the countries which may declare themselves in- dependent republics.
Commonwealth
BRITISH
Dins
At the
For
P.G.
Reservations
Price 20 Cents
Tel: 27880
HOUSEWIVES Embassy DEMONSTRATE Protests
London, Mar., 29.-Two women paced the sidewalk outside the House of Commons, each carrying a tray on which was displayed a week's food ration, except meat, for one person. This was part of a demonstration organised by the British Housewives' League. against the present rationing In Britain.
The League's Secretary, Mrs P. Horrocks, sald: "It is the cut in the meat which was the climax- the last straw which made us decide on this demonstration.'
About a dozen other League members dis. tributed leaflets. After 15 minutos, a policeman told the two tray carriers that they were creating an obstruction and asked them to walk elsewhere. -Reuter.
Israeli And Transjordan Accept Draft Armistice
London, Mar. 29.-The Transjordan and Israel delegates at Rhodes today accepted a draft armistice hammered out in 25 days of tough negotiations by the Palestine Mediator, Dr Ralph Bunche.
Dr Bunche handed over the draft reply early to- day at his "peace headquarters". Immediately after the meeting, said to have gone "smoothly," the two chief representatives flew back to Tel-Aviv and Amman to consult their Governments.
London, Mar. 29.--Mos- cow Radio said today that Marshal Vassily Sokolovsky, Commander-in-Chief in Ger-
2-Military problems, including those raised by the Atlantic Pact morn-Deputy Minister of the Rus
and the spread of Communism in South East Asia and the Far East. sian Armed Forces. It said
The last conference of the Sokolovsky
Issues! constitutional The the Marshal
officials described
speaking, Broadly accident as "nothing more than "simultaneously relieved of said, the meeting will thresh which are likely to be discussed Commonwealth Prime Ministers was in London last October. It
Nations relation result from the avowed deter-
Agreement was also reported aggravated engine fallure,"
chief of the out
An official United the Arst conference at- his post us
was of Eiro, India and
statement said:
"outstanding to have been reached over the He said that the Dying-boat Soviet occupation forces in ships in the light of the swiftly-mination
of
end slx Jerusalem garrisons 8.m. At
interna-Pakistan to become independent tended by the new Dominions of
problems still existed, but India, Pakistan and
Ceylon republics.
spokesman would not say what their equipment, which wins sald Before last October's con- engines Germany."
Include a few 25-pounder The question is whether such
terance,
the Dominion Prime they were. It was not thought republics can be accepted
the problems included dimeul- guns as their largest weapon. members of the Commonwealth Ministers had not met since
ties about Akaba, the Trans- POINTS HELD OVER and, it
April, 1945. They then met in 50, on what terms.
port on the Gulf of The following pointa Allegiance to the Crown London to exchange views on jordan
Alcabo, where British troops left for later negotiations: considered to be one of
the future United Nations, as a
1-Israeli accCES to Mount bo- preliminary to the Organisation are stationed within sight of
Scopus in Jerusalem. stumbling blocks and it
bo Contordnco at San Franciscoan Israeli force.
2.Transjordan access to leved that proposals may
Bethlehem. advanced for keeping the re- Reuter.
the Commonwealth publics in while allowing the right to re- fuse allegiance,
caping pattern
relations.
left Hongkong at noon, one of the four gave trouble, eventually catch- The announcement came in The Prime Ministers of seven ing fire. The fire was quickly the form of a communique of put out with chemical extinthe Council of Ministers or the
Cabinet. guishers, and the aircraft land- ed normally
Saigon hours later.
All the passengers were male. aircraft he sald, and a relief bod been sent to pick them up. They would arrive in Singapore
this afternoon.
at
two
The thirteen passengers are! Miss L. E. Y. Fong, S/Ldr, L Newbould, Mr J. H. Stephens, Mr H. D. McDowell, Mr
A. G. Brenchley, Mr C. H. Ellle Commander
Australia, countric-Britain,
South Africa. New Zealand, india, Pakistan and Ceylon will
Conference. attend the Canada will be represented by Mr. Pearson, the Secretary of State for External Affairs, in the absence of Mr Louis St. Laurent, the Prime Minister, to who has previous commitments
Army General V. I. Chulkον was named Commander-in-Chief of Russian forces in Germany and head of the Soviet Military a post of Government there, which Marshal Sokolovsky was
according Radio Moscow.-United Fress.
Also relieved,
Destroyer Launched
London,
Mar.
PRIVATE TALKS
on
29
is
the
Locked In Battle
The talks will be private and
STATEMENT PROMISED it is understood that measures
The Indian Prime Minister, 20. Britain's will be taken to ensure secrecy.
himself
future largest destroyer, the 2,000-ton The conference was originally Pandit Nehru, has refused to C. R.
to relationships with the Common- Decoy, was launched here today, scheduled to take place in Cey commit
but was transferred Williams, Mr J. L. Tate, Me The ship, the Arst in the "D" lon
would Wen Ping. Mrs Goh Mien Lee, class Botilla, will have six 4.5-London probably because of the wealth. In reply to a Congress
-of-the-Issues In-Party demand that India guns and importance Mrs Peh Peck Hoon, Mr Yap inch and six other Kah Hoc and Mr W. E. Kirby,
not associate with the Common- volved. two torpedo tubes-Reuter.
wealth until it "were radically Heavy Fighting For
Burmese Town
EDITORIAL
Practical KRA Suggestions
on
THE Kowloon Residents' Association March report is a useful reminder that there is in existence an organisation which strives to represent and interpret
Interests
the public needs and northern side of the harbour. The latest statement from the KRA denls with two subjects of immediate concern-bathing bench huts and the continued practice of
altered on the basis of racial
the
to
Watd
3Clearance of the Lyddo
Gaoling
Of Gls
Prague, Mar. 29.-The United States Embassy lodged a sharp protest with the Czech Foreign Office today, after being told that two American soldiers it has been trying to contact since December had been sentenced to 12 and 10 years' hard labour for capionage.
News of the sentences, passed three days ago afler à secret trial, was released today in an official 80-word Czech statement, which gave DO detalls of the charges, but said the two American crossed the frontier illegally last December with the intention of spying in Czechoslovakia.".
Mr Joseph E. Jacobs, the U.S. Ambassador, promptly protested that the men had been tried without regard for the rights and safeguards duo to any person accused of such a serious offence.
"ABSURD" CHARGE
Revith Ho viowed the case serious
and com- concern
that the Embassy, plained despite repeated representations, had been denied the right to see the two Americans.
A US. Embassy spokesman said the espionage charge was "absurd on the face of i
According to reports the two Jones and soldiers, George Clarence Hill; had crossed the word foot and on frontier
while dancing in a arrested village cafe, near the border. Mr Reuven Shiloah, the chief
They were reported by the.
boon Israel delegate, said final con-
without Czechs to have with the two Govern- tacts
they had been sent on a special ments would not take long-Jerusalem railway line for Israel documents, and obviously
by the alleged "Just a day or two." It has (six miles of this no rurs
by the mission-as been predicted that the arms through territory held
Czecha would have been fur- Arab Legion), tico between Israel and Trans-
"tongue" nished with papers, the spokes- Jordan would probably be sign
man added. ed over the weekend.
to 12 years, Hill, sentenced high-
were and Jones, to 10 years, WayAccess to Jewish, Mostem posted missing from their unit and Christian holy places in the in Germany in Decembor Holy City; a burning point in regarded-as-deserters.
THIRD ARMISTICE Tho-armistice will be the third between Isract and the Arabs. Tel-Aviv has already come to terms with Egypt and The Lebaron. Talks with Syria are 29. - expected to begin soon. between
An
4.-The Latrun which blocks Israel! the Tel-Aviv-Jerusalem
traffic on
view of the forthcoming Jewish Christlan and the Passover
CENSORED LETTER
end
Easter holidays.
The American Embassy Bald It was understood that the
Iearned carlier this local
commanders in the Holy it had Brigadier General William
month that the Czech security were determined to come Riley, the United Nations Chief to a working agreement to open authorities intended to charge
City
Syrlan Govern Iraqis. (Iraq has authorised permitted to visit them.
до
equality, the fullest liberty and democracy Ma
Mr Nehru suid it
Mar. Rangoon, was impossible to give "guaran-
Heavy fighting tees beforehand."
Mr Attlee promised Mr Stan-Government forces and re-
a of Staff in Palestine, and M ley Oliver, the Opposition Con- bels is raging at Okkan,
a passage for the pilgrims of at the soldiers, but received
news of their whereabouts and servative spokesman, who wel-
town 70 miles Henri Vigier, the, personal as-religions. railway
to sistant of Dr Bunche flew
East comed his statement on behalf of
6-The
Palestine no repiles to repeated requests the that a United States official ba Damascus today. They will con- | "triangle" occupied by Opposition, that a full state-northwest of Rangoon, ment would be made ufter the official communique stated fer with the
a censored It had received ment prior to the opening of Transjordan to negotiate on its conference and that the House tonight.
the Israeli-Syrian armistice behalf, but Israel is not pre- letter from Hill, dated January reinforcements talks. Government
pared to begin bargnining for 15, when the two men have been rushed to Okkan, Colonel Ahmed Jundi, head the triangle before an armistice believed to be held in prison
armistice agreement with Tranzjordan), at Pilsen. which the rebels entered last of the Transjordan
(Continued on Pare 5) the night against stiff resistance.delegation, left for Amman by Reuter.
Fighting is going on inside the the same plane.
Israel and Transjordan will town, the communique added.
their
Іл The communique also report reduce
forces
the arca under Д drati edn three-day battle between Akaba Government forces and
armistice agreed to by their bined Karen and Communist chief delegates at Rhodes, who forces at Kyaiklat, a rice centre
of Commons would have a full opportunity to debale any major decisions.
Was sure
Mr Stanley, for the Opposi- tion, said ho whole House was glad to hear that to many of the Prime
Ministers come. although
wish a the
some
when it recalls that the Government has admitted that it will be some years before it is in a position to restore, or build and maintain appropriate types of bathing sheds. Such being the case, Government must find an alternative scheme which will guarantee the beaches being adorned with sheds that meet the minimun requirements of decency. The KRA have suggestions which deserve the Authorities' closest attention. Moreover, allocations have already been made for the coming summer, it is still not too late to embody the proposals in the cur- rent lessee conditions. Firstly, a permit of five years, suggested because it will
permittees to spend encourage money on their hired property; secondly “A” class structures to be maintained to the satisfaction of the New Territories Commissioner; thirdly new sheds to be erected and maintained also to the satis- faction of the Commisaloner; fourthly, suitable annual
sub. rent; fifthly no letting or assigning; sixthly, option of renewal for
one year should there be Insufficient In the
applicants for aheds; seventhly, on expiry of permit, all repairs, fixtures, and so on to remain the property of the Government and beyond the legal power of the permittee to removo; eighthly, deposits of $250 by holders of "A" class sheds with the New Territories Commis- sioner to ensure "proper performance of the conditions." These have all the earmarks of practical suggestions under which bathing sheds and sites could be let by Government until what time it is in a position to assume full responsibility for their creation and upkeep. And the fulfilment of these conditions means that bathing benches would immediately become more
attractive to their users, and, even more important, would permit Government eventually to take decent, habitable sheds at little, or no cost. We feel that Government should give the KRA, suggestions its most serious and sympathetic attention.
obstructing ground floor halls and with stairways of dwelling houses miniature shops and stalls. Concerning bathing beach huts, a special KRA sub- committee says that it has no complaint about Government's method of allocating sheds, nor with the rental charged. But it does feel that Government is failing to offer a long enough tenureship to encourage permittees to put the existing Tooted sheds into a proper state of use. The sub-commitice's investigations dis- close that last year only 10 percent of the "A" class, sheds had received very good repairs; some 15 percent qualified for good repairs; 45 percent minor. repairs; and 30 percent no repairs at all. There are other statistics which should Government's attention. nrrest 1948 season a mere 19 percent of the "C" type of sheds were occupied; half of the "B" type were used; all of the From "A" class were in constant use. these researches, Government must make up its mind-and that quickly-whether its existing system of farming out bathing sheds is catering in the fullest degree to public needs. If it is a fact that only 10 percent of those who are successful in the ballot for "C" type huts are thereafter making use of them during the summer, there can be only one con- faiture. clusion that the system is a And if it is also a fact that on the more popular nad accessible benches less than 30 percent of permittees are carrying out repaira to sheds, then some adequate Inducement should be made for them to and carry out proper rehabilitation maintenance. The KRA has an ir- resistiblo argument in favour
of this
over
had
been
able to
know the House will
con outcome
to
in
com-
he added. "We trust that at the conclu
the Irrawaddy Delta, 40 were tonight on their way back to Tel-Aviv and Amman lo con- sion of the proceedings a full
miles southwest of Rangoon, sult their Governments. It was statement will be made to this House and that, if any major Rebel forces had infiltrated reliably learned.
are taken, there will into the town and
decisions
arm
set fire to
Observers here
declare this
full opportunity to debate several buildings, including the agreement showed that Israeli: through Transjordan, and cricles here Mr Attice replied: "Certainly, market, the communique stated, had come to terms with Britain
Israeli delegation I cannot of course say specifi-adding that 100 rebels had been thro
killed in the battle.
do not expect any further cally at the moment what the statement will be, but I will It was officially learned to complications. The size of the certainly ace to it that
Air Force forces in Akaba had been con- night that Burma
stumbling House is kept informed."
planes bombed and strated sidered the likely GAMMANS' QUESTION Seralnary Hill, a Karen strong-block. Mr Godfrey Nicholson, Con-hold at Insein, 10 miles north of
Rangoon.-Reuter. servative, asked whether any arrangements would
the
be made
for the Members of all, parties to meet the statesmen informal-
ty throughout the conference. Narrow Escape
The Prime Minister replied: "I would like to consider that, but I have had messages from some of the statesmen saying that, in view of the shortness of the time they will be over here and the amount of work to be done, they do not wish to have very
CRUCIAL POINTS
The crucial points so much talked about when the negotia- tlons opened, such as the block- ed districts of Jerusalem, the Latrun district and access to the holy places, must await further neroliations between the two Governments, it was understood, The armistice agreement will 20. The merely confirm the demarcation tender Galatea, with Princess lines along the entire front, ad- Elizabeth and the Duke of justing them slightly to improve
For Princess
Liverpool, Mar.
tality offered #ensive hoopt, Edinburgh aboard, was caught the, posiilons of one of the other!
by a strong wind in the Liver-side or to create an adequate "No
situation in certain parts of The Princess was aboard the Ashi
Galatea to open the £1,000,000 Mr Attico replied that ho pre-river entrance lock to Waterloo ferred not to add anything to Docke his statement,
&roa
D
Mr Leonard Gammans, Con-pool Docks, today and bumped Man's Land."
heavily against a concrete lock The agreed distribution of servative, asked if it was pro wail. Nobody
was hurt. but forces in the Wadl Araba posed to discuss the growth of
side the ship'a
whe badly and around Akaba was still unism in Asia and the
strictly guarded secret. It was scraped. deterioration of tho
believed, however, that the pro- sent strength of the Britab forces were taken into con- establishing tho sideration in Israeli forces in the demilitarised
Mr Afties later told the Ilouse
The only outstanding matter the armistice of Commons that certain "con-rough a ribbon across the
the first appeared to be ontrance, sho mado fidential proposals" had been Royal speech through a micro-line between Hebron and the went back to various Govern- phono from a
Dond ship under way. western shores of the ments for their approval, Her personal standard flow at Boa, which United Nailons, ob-
These would be made known the masthead of the tender-servers wore working out to the House in duo coured, Router
the spot.
As the vessel's prow cut belts.
were
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