The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 1

MANC STER ALL STEEL OF CUA: QUALITY pjtfirfflottfs CUPBOARDS FftWs CAglltfTs No. 33,783 MONDAY FEBRUARY 7 1955 NORWOOD STEEL EQUIPMENT I London. LTD Northern Office: 1. Chancery Lane. Spring Cirdens Manchester 2 iDEAnsgatc 42631 Price 3d HI UARDIAN CHANGE OF MIND BY EGYPT ATTEMPT TO FORM NEW FRENCH GOVERNMENT 4 DESIGN FOR GENEVA Peaceful Uses of the Atom Pinay Accepts President's Invitation FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT U.S.

FORCES COVER EVACUATION Nationalists Start to Leave Tachens To-day CHIANG'S OBSTINACY FROM MAX FREEDMAN SEVENTH FLEET OFF TACHENS Force Includes 300 Planes Taipeh, Formosa, February 7 (2 a.m.) The vanguard of the United States Seventh Fleet came in sight of the Tachen islands at one o'clock this morning ready to cover the evacuation of the Nationalists from the islands. American sailors and airmen in more than fifteen cruisers, aircraft-carriers, and destroyers capable of putting up an umbrella of some three hundred planes are under orders to return any fire from the Communists during the evacuation, which is due to start to-day. It is thought that there are about fifteen thousand Nationalist troops and 19.000 civilians to be withdrawn. After evacuating the Tachens, the Nationalists will, it is officially stated. tion itself.

American reporters in not be exacerbated beyond a certain point. One cause of delay in forming new Government has frequently been the necessity for allowing tempers to cool. The nearest thing to a real change such as occurs in Britain after a Government's defeat at the polls, was, in fact, the accession of Mendes-France to power in June as a result of backbench revolts in the Centre and Right The same parties were represented but they were represented by quite different men Last night's victory of M. Mendes-France's opponents was followed by an outcry of hysterical hatred and violence which promises very ill for the reshuffling process Mendes-France was. perhaps guilty of false judgment when he broke with French parliamentary custom by rising to speak after the adverse vote and before he had led out his Ministers to present his resigna tion to the President of the Republic His theme was essentially the necessity for his successors to carry on from where he had left off But whether he was wise or not there was nothing to justify the disgraceful scene of protest the shrieks of Fascist." the hubbub from deputies about a threat to the Tufgtou X.

''Nanklsftan Not to Leave Arab I Defence Pact From our Correspondent Cairo, February 6. The conference here of the Arab Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers ended to-night in a state of extreme uncertainty, but with the hope that a compromise may yet be reached in the dispute between Egypt and Iraq over the proposed Turco-Iraqi defence pact. No official communique was issued, but it was announced by Brigadier Mahmoud Riad, a member of the Egyptian delegation to the talks and Director for Arab Aftairs at the Egyptian Foreign Office, that Egypt would not, for the time being leave the Arab collective security pact. Last week Egypt had threatened to withdraw from the pact if Iraq went ahead with her plans for the treaty with Turkey Other Egyptian sources later hinted that it was considered that the pact was only ink on paper, but this was intended to be an explanation of why the threat to brean tne pact was not being carried out. Egypt has, in fact, refrained from taking a final step towards splitting the Arab League.

In all the excitement of the past fortnight it has been the Iraqi Premier who has remained constant in his resolution, and the lack of any official communique on tne end ot the conference to-night may be taken as an indication of Egypt's failure to secure enough support for her opposition to Iraqi policy. On the other hand, the Egyptian Government must be given credit for last-minute reluctance to appear as the prime mover in the breaking up of the Arab collective security pact and with it Arab League unity It was reported here to-day that the Syrian Cabinet had resigned This further complicates matters, for the Syrian Premier was in favour of the Turco-Iraqi Pact. 13 KILLED IN AIR CRASH Wreck Found in Swamp Lagos. February 6 All thirteen persons on board were killed when a West African Airways Corporation airliner crashed on a flighl between Enugu and Calabar Eastern Nigeria, yesterday A search party found the wreckage of the plane a Bristol Wayfarer during the night It lay amid palm groves and mangrove swamps Three of the crew of four and seven passengers were Europeans Passengers with British addresses were Mrs Ancell ol London Colonel Romsev of the Labour Department Lagos from Rugby Mr A Beith. of a Lagos agency from Sonning Berkshire Mrs Armstrong of Ikoyi Lagos from Edinburgh Mr O' Chaplain of 68 Alexander Road Aldershot Mr Jones of Bavin Avenue Eastbourne.

Mr Kacirek whose sister Mrs Lucy Fernandes lives at 24 Elmfield Avenue Teddineton Middlesex and Radio Officer Stott Waterlea Send Lane Ripley Reuter GELIGNITE FROM DARTMOOR? Safe Raiders Steal 400 The police think it highly probable that thieves who blew a safe at Moreton-hampstead. Devon, on Saturday, used gelignite stolen from the quarry at Dartmoor Prison last week. The town is about fifteen miles from the prison The safe was in an office of the More-tonhampstead Co-operative Society, and about 400 was stolen. The police found a piece of paper which they believed to be the wrapper of a stick of gelignite. NBJ7H hold Nankishan Island, eighty miles south, as their most northerly coastal outpost.

Official reports reaching here say there is no panic but much excitement in the Tachens Morale is described as high, and many defenders are reported to have wept as an evacuation order by General Chiang Kai-shek was read to them Nationalist China is in overall command of the evacuation The American naval units are under the control of Vice-Admiral Alfred Pride commander of the Seventh Fleet Some American amphibious craft will supplement Nationalist evacuation ships Admiral Pride, who is on the scene in his flagship the cruiser Helena, has given his men orders not to provoke an attack. Reuter. INSTRUCTIONS TO PILOTS Eve of Big Operations With the 7th Fleet, February 6 Detailed briefings were the order of the day to-day in pilot rooms of this carrier. One flight leader told his pilots The next flight we make may be the one that counts. I want tight formations, straggling test vour guns as soon as you get into a clear area, make certain they are ready No one straggles or takes off by himself.

Remember this we are not out looking tor a fight, we are not looking for trouble, but if trouble is brought to us I want everv pilot ready to meet it Don't let anvone get a position to make a firing pass at vour or any other planes of this flight." Associated Press HUNT FOR CARS AND PRISONERS Three Men Escape Kent Police searching for three prisoners who escaped from Dover Prison on Saturday night were last night also keeping watch for a car from Whitstable the third reported missing in Kent. About the same time a macintosh was stolen from another car. The fugitives are Stanley William White (23). Derek Arthur Wood (25). and Benjamin Hiller (2D) A car reported missing from Dover after the escape was found abandoned at Blean on the Canterbury-Whitstable road, and another car missing from that village was found abandoned in Thanet Way, Whitstable The men were thought to be making for London All three men were serving sentences of three years' corrective training, White for burglary and thett.

Wood for house breaking, and Hiller for othce breaking, store breaking, and driving away a car. LAST OF THE BIX Edward Thomas Rice (33), who escaped from Strangeways Prison, Manchester, on November 6, was recaptured in a house in Kilburn, London, early on Saturday. One of six who escaped from Strangeways on the same day. Rice is the last to be recaptured. From our Diplomatic Staff The international conference on peaceful uses of atomic energy, organised by the United Nations, is to be held in Geneva, beginning on August 8.

All its main meetings are to be in public and the attendance of strong delegations from both sides of the Iron Curtain seems assured. The preparatory committee in New York has just completed the drafting of an agenda and has agreed on the rules of procedure. Invitations have been sent to 84 countries. Each will be limited to five representatives, but these may be accompanied by advisers. A large attendance is expected.

The object of the conference is to exchange information on the peaceful uses of atomic energy and to consider what help individual States can give to each other in this field. Advance Statements Governments are asked, so far as possible, to submit in advance their statements on the major items These will then be circulated to all the countries planning to attend the conference and can be considered by thu scientists of other delegations before arrival at Geneva Thus it should be possible to correlate beforehand some uj me main cuiiu Luuuuiib ttuu iu evaluate such papers as the one promised by the Soviet Union on its first atomic power plant. The main heads for discussion are as follows A New Power Source. An attempt will be made to estimate world power requirements in 1975 and 2000. as a prelude, to discussing the needs of individual countries for power and heat.

It is hoped thai nations will furnish information of costs and demand on a common basis Nuclear energy will be considered as one of a number of power sources Special emphasis will be placed on studying the economic value of nuclear power for pre-mdustrialised countries, for countries in transition from an agricultural economy to industry, and for countries already industrialised Materials and Costs. Each nation is asked lo give all available information on deposits of uianium and thorium Papers are invited on capital costs, operating costs and fuel costs for nuclear power yslems based either on estimates or on p'racticnl experience Health and Safety. The Known biological eftects on human beings of exposure to radiation are to be discussed as wel: as the results of experiments od animals The ecological elfect on sources of food is alsu to be considered Anomer point is me problems which result fiom locating power reactors near large centres of population. Isotopes. A suivey is to be made of the uses of isotopes in science and industry, of their medical and agricultural importance, and of the problems of producing and.

distributing them large quantities. The techniques of handling isotopes and related questions ot insurance and workmen's compensation are to be discussed Research Reactors. Here the technical aspects of various types of research reactors are to be considered Papers art; requested on oaerating principles, fuel cvcles and systems for development This will lead on to a discussion of power reactors, fast neutron reactors, thermal neutron reactors and prototvpes Reactor Fhvsies Reactor Chemistry, and Technology Sessions. These are an extension of items which will have been raised alreadv in a more general form The details suggested in the agenda are. to a lavman.

bewildering They, range from airborne problem of waste to zero energv exponential experiments Closing Session. Here it is hoped to oresent communications from Governments about measures for assistance to other countries Quite clearly the Governments most directly concerned with giving information the American. British. Canadian. French, and Soviet Governments are faced with a difficult problem in deciding how much they will say.

To provide full information on every one of these items would be to disclose far more than any of them has 3'et done It remains to be seen how far they will go. The other nations will certainly be waiting with great interest. The secret of the wonderfully quick starting you get on National Benzole Mixture in winter is the exceptional volatility of Benzole. Thanks to Benzole, no other motor spirit can give you so much sheer performance as National Benzole Mixture. Paris, February 6.

M. Pinay, one of the leaders of the Conservative Independ ts and Prime Minister during the greater part of 1952, to-night accepted in principle President Coty's invitation to attempt to form a Government. He will give his final answer toamorrow night. Pinay proposes to try to form a Government of national unity, that is to say a coalition extending from the Socialists to the Right. This is, at least, recognition of the gravity of the situation It is not, in fact, likely that the Socialists will accept an invitation to take part Although warmly supporting Mendes-France they refused portfolios in his Government Pinay abstained in the vote on the Paris Agreements and did not take part in the North Afriran debate One reason for the President's choice is undoubtedly that Pinay like Mendes-France enjoyed considerable support in the country It is evidently thought dangerous to attempt to replace a popular Prime Minister by a man who enjoys support of an exclusively parliamentary kind.

Fought Rising Prices Pinay was popular in part because of his vigorous stand against the increase of prices Althpugh he had little success in bringing them down they at least stopped rising while he was in office This is remembered to his credit and distance lendins enchantment it is even sometimes believed to-day that during his Premiership prices actually came down The refrain ot the opponents of Mendes-France who was defeated in the early hours of yesterday has been that nobody knew what he was aiming at While there was some justification for doubt in the earlier months of his premiership, the criticism had become the merest parrot-cry at the end What sort of Government had the 319 deputies in mind who voted against Mendes-France and his 273 remaining supporters Early yesterday morning Mendes-France had put the question more forcibly than his opponents liked On the Right, he said, there were those who under various disguises simply desired a policy of repression in North Africa to cover up refusal for a political change (This provoked cries of "It's untrue ana In the Centre were the R.P who pro fessed their desire for the same policy in North Africa but wished to get rid of the Prime Minister On the extreme Left were nearly a hundred Communists without whom there would have been no Opposition majority In fact everj Opposition majority since 1946 has owed its victory to the Communists this in itself cannot, therefore, be brought against the coalition of Conservative R.P deputies that brought down Mendes-France The fundamental fact in each French crisis hitherto has, however, always been that it could not lead to a complete change of groups in power, but was only the occasion for a reshuffle Such a reshuffle required that tempers should JEWELLERY FOUND IN CAR After Flying-Squad Raid Twenty Liverpool detectives in flying- squad cars yesteiday lecovered jewellery estimated to be worth i.lo.UU0 from a small car in Warbreck Moor. Aintree Liverpool Two men have been arrested and charged with receiving jewellery from some person or persons unknown. Superintendent James Morris, head of the Liverpool (lying squad led the raid with Inspector James Seatter. Four routes from the stationary car were blocked as other police cars converged on it. The jewellery, a description of which has been circulated, is similar to articles stolen somewhere between Croxteth Hall.

Liverpool, home of Lord Setton. and Hilborough Hali. Norfolk, after the owner. Miss Ida Betty Mills, had left a house party at Croxteth Hall and travelled to Hilborough by way of London and Newmarket in November. Idd.i Six pieces of jewellery were recovered yesterday They include a pearl necklace, valued at 3.000.

two dress clips, worth 3.500 each, an amethyst brooch with diamonds and gold worth 3,500, and two valuable greenstone ear-rings. were the Panamanian Ambassadors in Rome and Paris, Senor Vallarino and Senor Heurtematte. who arrived after the ceremony had begun. The couple stood before a plain office desk in a room whose walls were covered with maps and tourist posters. The couple later left by air for New York on thair way to Nassau, in the Bahamas, for a week's yachting.

Miss Fonteyn will return to work at Sadler's Wells later this month. Before her marriage, she announced that she planned to continue dancing for ever." Reuter and Associated Press. a Washington, February 6. The Formosa crisis enters a new phase with the evacuation of the Tachen Islands, which is due to begin to-morrow The Defence Department has estimated the United States will have about 48.000 military personnel in the evacuation 45.000 belongings to the Navy and 3,000 to the Air Force. There will be six aircraft-carriers on duty with the 70 ships of the Seventh Fleet.

In the past few days planes from the Air Force's Fourth Fighter Interceptor Wing have been moved from Okinawa to the Korean base closer to Shanghai. Heavy tides flowing past the Tachens have reduced the danger of a Communist attack. The American military force has been ordered to protect itself against any assault during the evacuation, which may last ten days or more. Meanwhile the State Department is greatly encouraged by the moderation of American opinion after the clash with Communist planes It regards this moderation as a sign that American policy will be left free to follow a moderate path without being scourged by an impatient public demand for more forceful policies. It also feels that Communist China made a great diplomatic error by its blunt refusal to co-operate with the United Nations The department said that the West has greater reason to fear China co-opera-lion than China's hostility, for a show of co-operation might have won her friends among America's allies.

No New Concessions So far Chiang Kai-shek has failed 10 gain any new public concession from, the Eisenhower Administration He demanded public assurances from President Eisenhower or Mr Dulles that he would be allowed to maintain control of Quemoy and Matsu if he consented to the Tachen evacuation. Yesterday's announcement by the State Department simply repeated the principles which have been guiding American policy towards Formosa. There was no public statement of a new policy towards the off-shore islands On January 19, five days before President Eisenhower sent his special message to Congress, he told his press conference that the Tachens do not form an essential part of the defence of Formosa and the Pescadores He admitted that the Tachens were defended by a division of Chiang's regular troops and that they haa undoubted value as an outpost ana as additional points for observation," but emphasised that these islands are not a vital element, as we see it, in the defence of Formosa." Mr Dulles and Admiral Radford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaiT both said that Quemoy and Matsu were useful but not essential in the defence of Formosa. The most significant part of yesterday's definition of policy by the State Department said that the United States would help Nationalist China to defend the related positions arid territories now in its hands as the United States deems to be essential to the defence of Formosa and the Pescadores The decision, in other words, will be made in Washington rather than in Formosa. State Department officials are saying that Chiang Kai-shek will prove no more successful in dictating American policy than Syngman Rhee was uurmg the Korean war.

All this, it must be stressed, is verv much the view of Washington, and indeed of the Eisenhower Administra BACK TO SECRET DIPLOMACY Unexplained Talks From our Diplomatic Correspondent There are strong indications that Peking's blunt and unequivocal rejection of the Security Council's invitation to discuss the Formosa situation has sent statesmen of both sides burrowing into the field of secret diplomacy. The Foreign Office is maintaining meticulous silence about what passed at the interview which the British Ambassador in Moscow had with Mr Molotov on Friday. This interview took place at Mr Molotov's request, and almost certainly it had a greater significance than the talk which Sir Anthony Eden had, at his request, with the Soviet Charge d'Affaires in London on Tuesday. That was before Peking's rejection had been received. Mr Molotov's talk with Sir William Hayter was after.

Nothing has emersed from the discus sion of the Formosa situation in the con- ference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, nor from the private meetings which Mr Nehru had last week with the American Ambassador here and the Chinese Charge d'Affaires, or with Sir Anthony Eden this week-end. Sir Anthony went down to the country on Saturday to spend the week-end with Lord and Lady Mountbatten where Mr Nehru and his sister Mrs Pandit, the Indian High Commissioner in London, were also fellow-guests. As for America's chief allies, they have apparently Deen left as much in the qarK as nas Peking concerning Americas real intentions about the defence or the evacuation of Quemoy and 'the Matsu islands. Thf terrible truth probably is that President Eisenhower himself has not yet decided what he would GO. Formosa are saying that Chiang Kai- sneK is quite satisfied with his diplomacy.

He knew he would have to quit the Tachen islands, and was able to delay the evacuation for days and to focus the attention on the status of the coastal islands. His threat to defend Quemoy and Matsu, if the United States stands aside, is taken very seriously here. Any fighting so close to the Chinese mainland carries the risk of a larger conflict. Chiang believes the United States would be forced to intervene, no matter how much President Eisenhower at this point may hate that prospect. "Opinion of Senators Quite apart from these military calculations, Chiang's obstinacy has already succeeded in giving an importance to Quemoy and Matsu never foreseen in the President's Message to Congress Senator Knowland and Senator Dirksen have stepped forward as the leaders of a powerful group in the Republican party opposed to the surrender of these islands even in return for a cease-fire Senator Johnson, the Democratic leader in the Senate, has been away from Washington for several days Because of illness In his absence the Democratic oartv will follow the guidance of Senator George, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and of Senator Russell, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, in support ing the Presidents policy But one restive group of Democrats Humphrey, Long, Kefauver.

Lehman, Neuberger, aided by the independent logic of Senator Morse will challenge any commitments to Quemoy and Matsu that may entangle the United States in greater difficulties with China The arguments and apprehensions of this little group carry unexpected weight with many members of both parties who are disturbed by the implications of American policy The majority of Republicans and Democrats however, have accepted Admiral Radford's argument that national unity must be main tained in firm support of the President's programme If the dissident Democrats insist on a Hear statement of policy on the future status of Quemoy and Matsu they will at once meet the opposition of the Knowland-Dirksen group- among the Republicans and the Russell-George leadership among the Democrats. This unusual alliance will produce a vote overwhelmingly against the return of Quemoy and Matsu to Communist China The senators who will cast these votes will be thinking of the necessity of strengthening President Eisenhower's position in any negotiations with Pekins tsut the result will inevitably be interpreted by Chiang Kai-shek as a vindication of his own policies. New Task for U.N. Speaking in Washington last night Mr Finletter, a Secretary of the Air Force in the Truman Administration said that the title to Formosa and the fescactores had passed to the 48 signatories of the Japanese peace treaty whose duty would be to turn this trusteeship over to the United Nations He added It is for the United States to insist not only that the United Nations resist any aggression by the Red Chinese and do its best to arrange a ceae-fire. but also that it relieve the United States from the go it alone responsibilty and that the United Nations take over the juridical dutv of adjudicating the future of the inshore islands and of Formosa and the Pescadores as well If we stoo showing how tough we are and start showing how lawful we are we may have success and peace in our oolicy in the Far East" In contrast with this attitude the Administration's policy of ambiguity continues to exact a mounting price With confident defiance Mr Tsiang.

chief delegate of Nationalist China to the United Nations, announced in New York over the week-end that his Government cannot and will not evacuate Matsu and Quemoy." In a dispatch from Formosa to the Baltimore Sun Mr Phillip Fottrfr reports that the maiority thinking here appears to be that the Tachen evacuation will be the last giving up of territory and the remainder of Chiang's offshore islands will be held whether or not the United States gives specific promises." Thus the dark tangle of confused uncertainty persists AIR FIGHT NEAR N. KOREA Engagement Described Tokio, February 6. United States Far East air force announce that the fight in which two MIGs were shot down occurred ten miles oil the coast of North Korea and about forty miles west of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. Eight MICJ 15 jets opened hre hrst on an American reconnaissance jet bomber and its faabre jet escorts and the American airmen returned the fire. headquarters say.

The gunner in the reconnaissance plane was the first man to see the MIGs. He began to fire and damaged one of the enemy planes." tour ot tne other ftllus attacked the escorting Sabre jets. The resulting battle broke up the attack on the reconnaissance plane and led to the destruction of the two Communist planes. The announcement says that no American pilots were injured and all planes returned to their bases undamaged Fighter escorts have been provided for all American reconnaissance Rights near Communist territory since MIGs shot down an unescorted plane north of Japan last November. The announcement to-day says that the American planes attacked yesterday were on a routine reconnaissance mission over international waters." The official Chinese Communist news agencv said to-day that naval planes from United States Seventh Fleet aircraft carriers have been conducting military provocations near Chinese waters ever since the ships of the fleet began arriving on January 23.

According to incomplete data, from January 24 to 4, United States, naval planes flew 2.224 sorties over this region in 496 groups." Reuter. TWENTY GOVERNMENTS Followinq is a list oj the French Governments since the Liberation 19JJ-5: Libcration-Nov 13 rS Ue Caulle 1945- 6: s'ov tJ-June II Do Cautlc 1946- Jan 29'June I tfouin (Soc I June 19 Referendum Oct 13) EiidauJt (MRP) Dec lb-Jan 16 147 Hlum (Soc i 1947- 8: Jan 21 -Nov 19 Rjmadiet (Soc) Nov 21-Julv 19 iJJ8 Sclnmun 'MRP) 194B-9 uiv M-Auk 2B Mane (Radical) aui 31-Scpi 7: St hum an MRPi Sepi 12-Oci 6 1U9 QueuiMe fRadrcan I9J9-5II. Oct 27-Jyne 2-i (950. ItuJauli (MRP) June JO-JuIy a QueuMfe Radical) 1950-1 Julv ll-Feb IS lm Wen i R. 1951 March 9-July to.

Oueuille (Radical) Aub 1 l-Jan 7 1952 Plfvcn lUDSR) 19S2 -Jan 17-Fcb 19, Fat-re rRadfcal) March 6- Dcc 23 Pinay (Cons Ind 1 1953- Jjn S-Iay 21 Macr (Radical) rune 26-Junc 12 f954 La lei (Ind) 1 954- 5: nc 1 7-Fcb 5 1 955 emit--France (Radical) Republic because a defeated Prime Minister was saying a few last words to the Assembly This outbreak Dro-vided every justification for the Prime Minister's last words (only known from the French equivalent of Hansard, since thev were inaudible) about the danger of an atmosphere of hatred The actual mechanism of rinding a new Prime Minister and forming a Government may well function more easily tha" formerly because of the recent change in the Constitution bv which only a maioritv of those voting, not of ail the deputies is necess'ary to elect a Prime Minister who will at all events come before the Assembly not alone as hitherto under- the -Fourth Republic but. as under the Third, with his Government alreadv formed. Fate of Paris Agreements It is quite possible that the onlv consequence of the fall of Menrlps- France regarding the Paris Airrppmpnt; will be a delay of a few weeks before tne ratiiication debate in the Council of tne Kepublic can be held The real difficulties in this last stage of the ratification of the riso fmm the unwillingness of many senators to vote unconditionally the rearmament of Germany shortly before they have to lace tneir electors That difficulty will Continued on vaqe 7 QUEEN HONOURS DR GARBETT G.C.V.O. on Birthday The Queen has appointed the Archbishop of York. Dr Cyril Garbett.

who celebrated his eightieth birthday yesterday, to be a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Among the many birthday messages received by Dr Garbett was a telegram from the Queen, conveying her good wishes and those of the Duke of Edinburgh. The Princess Royal. Sir Winston Churchill, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster also sent their congratulations. For Dr Garbett it was an ordinary working Sunday. He preached three times in villages near York as part of his pastoral visitation Dr Garbett has been Archbishop of York since 1942, and in the same year became a Privy Councillor.

He holds the Grand Cross of the Order of George I of Greece and Second Class Order of the White Lion of Czechoslovakia. EXPLOSION SHAKES N.Z. TOWN "Flying Cigar" Sighted Greymouth (N.Z.), February 6. A tremendous explosion, felt over an area of several hundred square miles, shook the west coast of the South Island late this afternoon, at the same time as a silver cigar-shaped object was reported from widely separated points. So far there has been no official explanation about either the explosion or the strange object, which was said to throw out a dazzling light.

Observers said that the object was travelling at tremendous speed. It came in from the south-east, and its course would take it towards the foothills of the Southern Alps, about 25 miles inland from Greymouth. It appeared to be losing altitude as it moved inland. It was seen in the sky from at least four different places One observer reported a huee column of smoke in the area at the time of the explosion. Reuter.

55 KILLED IN INDIAN MINE EXPLOSION Jharia (West Bengal), February 6. The Government has ordered a public inquiry into the cause of an explosion at Amlabad colliery here last night which killed 55 miners. Rescue opera tions are still going on. So far twelve bodies have been brought to the surface and more than forty have been located. At least half the number of deaths were believed to be due to asphyxiation.

Reuter. I boosts ARGOT FONTEYN MARRIES Paris, February 6. Miss Margot Fonteyn, prima ballerina of the Sadler's Wells Ballet, to-day married Dr Roberto Arias, the Panamanian Ambassador-designate to London. The brief ceremony was conducted by 'the Panamanian Consul-General. The witnesses for the brice were Sir Gladwyn Jebb, the British Ambas- sador in Paris (on the left in the photograph) and Dame Ninette de Valois, director of the Sadler's Wells Ballet.

Tha bridegroom's witnesses MIWMl BiHlQll MIXTURE National Benzoic Company Limited, Wellington Hmae, Buckingham Gale, London, SWI (The distributing organisation owned and entirely controlled by the producers of British Benzole).