1949-03-30 — Page 1

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.

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