The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 10

10 THE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8 1952 I avRFE el-US fBR mtr ar-. mB pihkt t- THE WEATHER Mainly Fine A tii NW. alrstream covers Great BUILDERS' CONFERENCE ACCUSED OF PRICE-FIXING Minister Seeks Unrestricted Cqmpetition TERRIFYING SIGHT AFTER ATOMIC EXPLOSION Pictures Taken at Rate of 100,000 a Second land is actually quite simple. The first bang was the direct sound-wave, and the second was a reflection from a layer of warm air some two miles up. Many comments have been made about the shape of the cloud and how different it was from the mushroom cloud with the very high stalk shown in most American pictures of atomic explosions.

The great weight of the mud and water in the cloud at Monte Bello kept the cloud from rising very far. Even so, the top of the cloud at Monte Bello rose just over two miles above cent in the case of a member, or 33 per cent in the case of a non-member. Not only is the owner paying 1,562 more for thejoD than he would otherwise do and for which he derives no benefit, but eleven firms receive payment for no service to him whatever. "This has been described in many quarters as a It is an impudent and unjust extraction. All responsible people the building industry who do not benefit directly front the scheme condemn it" Mr Wells asked the Minister to refer this subject to ''the Monopolies Commission, and to remove this "parasitical organism from one of our fundamental industries.

Mr D. M. Eccles, Minister of Works, said it' was clear from 'the constitution of the London Builders' Conference that it contemplated arrangements which must limit competition and increase the price of building. No Government can remain indifferent to 'practices which have the result described." The obvious thing to do was to refer the subject" to the Monopolies Commission, but that was a long and cumbrous proceeding. He wanted results more quickly if he could get He would like first to try to persuade the builders in these conferences to look closely at their arrangements and end them in the national interest as well as in their own.

This conference was set up before the war and there were many restrictive practices introduced in those inter-war years for which there is no excuse to-day. There is plenty of work in the building industry, we are going to have more steel for building next year, so there will be more licences and more work for our labour force Any arrangements which add to prices should not be accepted." Certificate Required The Ministry had already taken some Cattle slaughtered by the Mau Mau in the foothills of Mount Kenya. On five farms 360 animals were killed and 200 mutilated. This is one of the photographs illustrating Mau Man atrocities which Mr Lyttelton has placed in the Library of the House of Commons. MRS FELTON DESCRIBES MEETING WITH P.O.W.S EST KOREA and in Good Health steps, for the Government's attitude was to protect the taxpayer whose money was involved when the Ministry placed contracts.

His predecessor was alarmed at the actions of the L.B.C. and decided to require every firm tendering for a Ministry contract to sign, or not sign, a certificate. The certificate asked for assurances that the firm tendering was not party to any scheme under which it communicated the amount of the tender to any other person, and that the tender prices were not adjusted by reference to others who were tendering for the work. Some of the best firms in the country were members of the Conference. I want them to help me to get rid of all restrictive practices in the building industry.

The national interest demands we should do so." Although he was against nationalisation and State control it would seem an argument for these things if it was found that, by the arrangements between employers, prices could be fixed and competition limited. "My friends in the building industry need have no fear of unemployment or nationalisation if they will keep their costs down and do good work at competitive prices and be seen bv the public to be doing so CHARGES REBUTTED No Increase in Coslf of Building Sir Alfred Hurst, independent chair man of the London Builders' Conference, last nignt described the allegations made by Mr Wells as ridiculous misrepresentation and gross travesty of facts." Sir Alfred said of the allegations: "In so far as they have any basis of fact, they relate to a scheme introduced by the London Builders' Conference in 1935 to meet a serious economic situation in the building industry of that time. Since the war, conditions have greatly improved ana me lair-prxce- scneme oi inc conier-ence to which Mr Wells referred has' been practically inoperative, being employed in less than one in five hundred cases It is only kept in being as a precaution against a possible revival of such condi tions as obtained before the war- The conference claims that, taken as a whole, its operations, which are directed to carrying out the report of the Simon Committee on Buildins Contracts, have resulted in no increase whatsoever in the cost of building Britain while a weak trough jot low pres sure over W. Ireland is expected to move slowly E. The E.

half of Great Britain will hove mainlv fine weather to-day. apart from occasional showers in some E. coastal district. In W. Scotland and in Ireland it will be mainly cloudy with occasional cHohf rain nr riri.1e and this weather mav spread to Wales and some W.

districts of England auring tne a ay. orecast tor nours ending miuaigui tmJmn EnVbnd. MMlurtl: Moderate N. to HW. xrlaaa: mainly fine.

sr. ui M-K Enilind. S.E. SMlIuia: Moderate M. to NW.

winds; mainly line, cat nattered' shower neat E. const. s.w. nnd N.CT. Endand.

Wales: Moderate marau NW. winds; mainly Sne. at lint, bat cloudy, veaDier with occasional slight lain may reach these i districts In the altemoon. trrtt flUaak: ContinulBB enanRahle with aooo rain In many districts but also some oxltht periods. SEA PASSAGES S.

North Sea, Strait at Oarer, Enillsh ChanMl (East): Sea allcht to moderate. St Georte's channel. Irish Sea: Sea slllht- To-day: SUN Rises (Manchesteri 7 21 sets 4 24 MOON tMancnesteri 31 p-m. mis 1 a v.m. marrow: SDN Rises (Manchester) 7 22 Bets 4 22 NOON (Manchester) iius p.m.

oeu p.e. The Moos: Last quarter. To-morrow. 3 HIGH-TIDE TABLE To-day: aii.sr. a.u.T.

Blackpool 3 52 am. 3 09 p.m. Southport 2 32 ajn. 2 49 P.m. To-morrow: Blackpool 3 48 a.m.

4 08 p.m. South port 3 28 a.m. 5 48 pm. (Tidal Institute Copyrltht LIGHTING-TJP TIMES FOB TO-DAY Manchester 4 54 p.m. to 6 52 to.

UGHTlNG-tlr TIMES FOB TO-MOREOW Manchester 4 53 pa. to 6 54 a.m. YESTERDAY IN MANCHESTER WrtmvoatH Park METEotoiocicix OasttraToar. Fanur. Noraraxa 7.

wthir summarv for oast hnurx endlnr M. (Q.M.T.): Mainly brlsht; jsarometcr tendency: mwv. Barometer (millibars): 1.020.2 AhajfA Drv bulb a.m. 41.9. rj.m.

41.6; wet bulb. 9 a.m. 39.5, 9 pjn. 38.5: maximum Do. minimum oy.

Jiumiaiiy iperceniarej -t a.m. a p.ra. vo. Rainfall: 0.1 Sin. Sunshine: 5.9hr.

The barometric pressure siren Is corrected to mesn a level at d.nHM latitiidn and 12tn. cenrisrade 53.6de Forecast chart for midday, November 8. A MODERN MIRACLE Pasteurised Milk Only "Dirty Water" Mr H. E. Jones, of Colwyn Bay, told the Denbighshire Education Committee yesterday that pasteurisation was the modern miracle of turning milk into dirty water and depriving it of its value.

He was criticising a statement by the County Medical Officer that he could not recommend T.T. milk for schools where pasteurised, milk, was available. The inference to be drawn, said Mr Jones, was that the medical officer had no confidence in T.T. milk, although the farmers were spending thousands of pounds on improving their herds to supply that type. Such expenditure was wasted if there was official support for pasteurisation.

DEATHS (Continued') MANNERS. On November 6. 1952. suddenly, in iuuMAto, aeariy oeiovea nusosna ox ciary MANNERS, of Uandudno. MEDCALFB.

On Thursday, November 6, at 67 wusaaw lAne, Waterloo, EW ART, aged 64 years the dearly loved husband ot Martha MEDCALFB and father of Jean and Mar? Service at Christ Church, Ashton. on November 11 at 10 am. prior to committal ac Stockport Crematorium at 11 a.m. Inquiries to H. Marland.

TeL ASH 1934 PROCTER. On November 7, at his. residence HI) uompstau rcoaa. nomuey. uakkx, tne aear husband of Clarice Msy PROCTER.

Service and committal at Stockport Crematorium on Tuesday at 2 p.m. Sprays only, please Inquiries ro A. Seddon Tel WOO 2470 SMITH November fi- Brighton. HARRY SMl'l'H. aeed 82 years, formerly of '1 o.

52 Waterpark Road seiiora Mineral zrom Hancnester fnrrl 7. Funeral from Mane Homa for Aged Jeffs on Sunday. November 9. twehe noon MYLOR. On November 3, at nis residence.

3U7 Great Clowes Street. Saltord 7. JOHN ALFRED, tha beloved husband of the late Anne Alsopa TAYLOR and dearly loved father ot Louie and Clarice (lata of Messrs Taylor and Breeden). Service and interment at St Paul's Church, Kersal, this day (Saturday) at 11 a.m. Inquiries to Coop and Sons.

Ltd. TeL PEN 14B7. THOM. On November i. CHARLOTTE SALOME, atea i years, tne oeiovea vme oi too utte uonam Fleming rHOM, or Moo tort.

Service at Patricrofe Congregational Church on Monday at 11 a.m., prior to Interment at Peel Green Cemetery at 11 50 a.m. Inquiries to Coop and Sons. Ltd. TeL PEN 1487. WrllTTAlX.

On November 7. at her borne Ansneu ttoao. rteaaixn alius, un 04 years, tna dearly loved trlfe ot George WHITTALL. Service at St Agnes's Church on Tuesday at 2 15 p.m. trior to committal at Stockport Crematorium at p.m.

Inquiries to George Godson. TeL EASt 0512 and 0038 WORTHINCTON. On November 7, at a nursing home and of 3 Singleton Road, Hea ton Moor, SARAH, beloved wife of tha lata Barry WORTH! NGTO and dear mother of Harold. Service at Stockport Crematorium on Tuesday at 11 3P a.m. Wo flowers, by request.

Inquiries to Messrs George Meredith. Tel. 6TO 2065 In Memoriarn LEVER. In lovinr memory of BERNARD LEVER, a dearly loved.husband and father, who died November 8. 1943.

i Castle Bill Road, Prestwlch. WADE (FRANK). Treasured memories of dear husband and dad, died November 1951. Loving, unselBsh helpful, and kutd. Those are the memories ne left liebind.

Prom bis loving Wife ant Daughters. AFFLECK BROWN. OLDHAM STRELT. MANCHESTER X. Funeral Director: Mr M1L7JB Telephone BLAckfrlari 8644.

wnen closed and during week-ends tcL TJramhail 79. IfYANS GORDON funerai. directors LTD. 'Plumes CEHrxal 6727 111 Great AncoSts St- Manchester. lie uqesf.

H1LTONS for Memorials, Inscriptions, a Benovatl-ms. Opp. S'thern Cera- M7C Cho S455. END AL MILNE DEANSGATE, MANCHESTER. When closed ana on Sundays Funeral Orders are attended to at 60 KING STREET, MANCHESTER.

Telephone No. for Day and Night Service DEAnsgate 3414. No. 268 J. Mr P.

L. Wells (Lab. Faversham) raised on the motion for the adjournment of the House of Commons yesterday the question of the London Builders' Conference, the activities of which, he said, were not confined to London, but were nation-wide. Regional conferences up and down the country operated in conduction with the conference. Behind this innocent-sounding title," he added, "there exists an organisation with wide ramifications which, exercises a control over building tenders that not only makes a farce of competitive tendering but extracts large sums of money from those for whom the work is performed without performing any service to the building owner.

"The brain behind the conference, both in London and the regions, belongs to a most industrious and ex-high grade civil servant who is reputed to receive a salary on a par with that of the Prime Minister. The London and regional conferences were concerned with contracts from 3.000 to 250,000. Above that sum, interest was transferred to another con ference called the Manor contracts Conference which covered contracts anywhere in the United Kingdom and had the same chairman as the London Builders Conference. Although membership of the conference was easy and cheap, it carried certain oongations. or instance.

every co-operating non-member or member, as soon as he has decided tender for a inlv milQt immMiatelv Infrrrm thA rnn. ference chairman of his intention. This allows tenderers to know exactly with wnom they are competing, and also enables them to fix a minimum price for tne contract." Hypothetical Case Mr Wells gave a hypothetical case In which twelve firms submitted preliminary tenaers. me tour mgnest prices were eliminated, leaving, for instance, eight firms tendering 50.000. 49,600.

49.450. 49.300, 49,250. 49,100. 48,700, and 48.200. Because of the London Builders' Conference scheme the average -of the lowest eight prices will be taken.

This works out at 49.212. To that is added 5 for each tenderer, plus 2s per 100. That puts a further 550 on the lowest price, making it 49,762 or 1,562 more than it was originally. This new sum is then called a fair price and becomes the lowest tender price from members of the conference and co-operating members. The other prices are adjusted so tnat tne person wno senos in the lowest price would still be the lowest tenderer among the membership of the conference.

"If successful he would be expected to hand the 1,562 he had received in excess of his lowest price to the conference, which would be shared eauallv between the firms that tendered, less a deduction of 25 per REPAIR WORK AT BARTON LOCK Spare Gates Arrive By our own Reporter Engineers, working bv dav and night to repair the damaged lock at Barton, on the Manchester Ship Canal, were last night reported to be making good progress." The gates at the seaward end.of the lock sank to the bottom of the canal after being hit by the Swedish ship Caledonia on Wednesday, and the gates at the other end were buckled by the weight of Water pouring down the 15ft. drop in the canal level. work was delayed by tne gate on Thursday night, but, given good weather, it is hoped that the first of the two sunken gates will be raised this morning. Both have been located oy divers and their positions marked by buoys. They are badly damaged.

The first of spare pair of gates to replace them was brought up tne canal irom Ellesmere Port yesterday, and it is expected that the other will be brought to-day. When they have been put in position, the gates on the Manchester side of the lock will probably have to be replaced, a job which a Ship Canal official estimated would take a day. Until repairs are finished, the terminal docks in Manchester and Salford are cut off from the sea for all but small vessels. Work of loading and unloading is going on there normally, however, and the Ship Canal Company says that so far there has been no serious congestion of goods on the quays. Several incoming ships have been diverted by their owners to Liverpool and to other docks below the lock, and yesterday the Manchester Explorer (1,750 tons) docked at Preston she had been bound for Manchester with a mixed cargo, which included woodpulp and tobacco, when the lock was damaged.

She is one. of two miniature liners brought into operation this year for trading between Manchester and the Great Lakes of Canada. She is a sister ship of the Manchester Pioneer, and both are owned by Manchester Liners. INQUEST ON CHILD "Person on Murder Charge The inquest was opened at St Mary's Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight, yesterday on the 17-day-old boy alleged to have been murdered by his eifiht- and-a-half-year-old brother. The boy appeared before a special juvenile court at Newport on rnursaay, wnen ne was remanded.

The coroner said that he had been officially notified that a person had been charged with the murder of the child, and he proposed taking only evidence of identification ana tne patnoiogisrs report on iniuries. The inquest was adjourned sine die. CHILDREN RUN FROM BURNING BUNGALOW A wooden bifngatow, in which two children were sleenins. was destroyed by fire at Matley iau, nyae, last nignt. The children, Brian Furlong (12), and his sister Valerie May (8), were awakeued bv smoke and ran out in their nightclothes to Mr J.

Morgan, at iugner Matley Hall tann, wno canea tne nre brigade. -The fire is oeuevea to nave been caused by a candle. ACROSS 7. Your young men shall see (O.T.) (7). 8.

Crow and his diet (7). 9. He imprisoned St Peter 7. 10. Get her back to have a meal (4).

12. Clump (4). 13 Composer from a French kitchen (3). 14. Lower than bee (7).

16. Fifty-one brace (7). 18. Costume of our era (7. 20.

"A flood ol came o'er -me" (Longfellow) French friend able to be good tempered (3). SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD Ha. HT ABZ A LO SlC A HOT vi Si PI A DOCK SlSO THE LOEV I F. TSR U-N OflMi BgogCBElN BEEFEBiSIDEVS SURAHS 1 fiS PEAR MA 1 NSSfATTEK a lis p. a OIATBD I 25.

Not NUB A 8 lUSb solution 22 Due in of things 23. European 24. To 24 down 26. Here (7). 27.

I've 7). 1. (6. 9. 2.

A 3. Bird 4. Unbeliever 5. Place are C. Cowper's (4.

3, 11. been 12. Offering disorderly 15. It's (3). 17.

Has 19. Sends substitute 20. Apt to mariners 24. They willies! still Dr W. G.

Penney, who directed the atomic bomb explosion on October 3, broadcast, in the B3.C. Home Service last night "a personal account from a scientist who took part in the trial." Arrangements had been made for recorded, versions to be broadcast virtually simultaneously in other countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. Dr Penney said I expect that most of you read Mr Churchill's statement to Parliament about the Monte Bello test There is little that I can add. but even so you may be interested in getting a personal account from a scientist who took part in the trial. When the planning began a lot of thought was given to deciding which type of explosion would provide information and experience of the greatest value.

Purely scientific measurements are most easily made when the weapon is placed at the top of a high tower, but there were other weighty considerations. The. Civil Defence authorities in this country badly needed more data, about atomic explo sions and accordingly the test was planned to get as much novel Information as possible for Civil Defence. The decision was made to explode 'the weapon in a ship moored near Iknd. thus simulating an explosion in a port.

Transmitting Station The ship was to be eauinned as a scientific transmitting station, sending out by radio a vast number fit measurements about the nuclear explosion before the equipment was destroyed. More scientific apparatus was to be placed on the islands to record other phenomena such as blast, heat, and radio-activity. The question of where to do the trial presented quite a problem. Suitable sites ior mis sort or worK are not easy to And. The Admiraltv made a spnrah ihrmioh their charts and it seemed as if tho Mnnto Bello Islands would offer-everything that we waniea ine Australian uovernment readily agreed to a survey being made of these islands and It was found that they were entirely suitable.

The Australian Government, at this stage, generously gave us permission to hold the trial there. They also offered us substantial assistance in preparing the site and in supplying us with food, water, and everything else which we needed in order to work and live in security at Monte Bella. At a very early stage it was decided to conduct the trial as a mitltarw nnd. in May of last year. Admiral Torlesse was appointed to work with me and a detailed plan on the good principle that he who plans an expedition should also carry it out." An elaborate trial, like the one at Monte Hello, is not completed without some anxious moments.

Fortunately there were not many of them, but the night before o-l day was. perhaps, our worst spell. In order to get the right winds at the time of the explosion we had choose a period of strong winds for both D-l day and for -unj. sui me strong winas all right! Anxious Watch The winds were so strong that we were not sure that the boats could get the scientists, all round the islands to make the final adjustments of their instruments. However, as always, the Navy and the Marines rose to the occasion and the work was completed with nothing worse than lot of wet shirts.

Even up to an hour before the explosion, we were still anxiously watching the winds to see if the forecasts of the weather boys were going to prove accurate. In fact, their predictions were absolutely right and. with much relief, the firing clock was started. I was on the flight deck of Campania with Admiral Torlesse and most of the ShlDS COmDanV. We all fnpprt sw-m fnnm the explosion as the last few seconds were counted over the loud-speakers.

Suddenly there was an intense flash, visible all round the horizon. We turned round to look. The sight before our eves was terrifying a great, greyish-black cloud being hurled thousands of feet into the air and increasing in size with astonishing rapidity. A great sandstorm suddenly It seemed ages before we heard the bang, out. in fact, it was only a minute.

Some- what to our surprise a second bang at iuuu as tne nrst louowea a tew seconds later. At the samp time fi Keculiar sensation in our ears such as one as in an aircraft losing height rapidly. We were feeling the suction, or reduced pressure, which always follows a blast fiu me time tne cloud was getting higher and higher and assuming fantastic shapes as it was pulled about by the strong winds at different altitudes. The explanation of the two bangs heard uil- amps ana aiso nearo on the main TRANSPORT BILL A "Crude Piece of Surgery Mr T. H.

Summerson, vice-president or the Association of British Chambers of Commerce, said yesterday that the discarding of the previous Transport Bill and the substitution of improved measure was an act of political courage and statesmanship. Nevertheless, in our view the impending operation without anaesthetic parries all the signs of a crude piece of Held surgery. This, in my own view, is a great pity and we are all agreed thai a radical operation is necessary." He was speaking at a luncheon in Loudon given by the Transport Committee of the association, at which Mr A. Minister of Transport, and Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, Home Secretary, were the guests." Severe dislocation was experienced when road haulage undertakings were luken over by British Road Services, he said, and it is fairly obvious to those whom road haulage must serve that the speedier disintegration of British Road Services will certainly occasion similar, if not more, dislocation. The proposed transport levy paid for by operators must become part of overhead costs and will inevitably be reflected in charges to the user.

To concede the nrinciple of this levy and to enshrine it in an act of Parliament is, in our view, utdangerous step. It might, for example, be extended to amortise losses on renationalisation." Thev had been ready to concede that in a modern setting the railways were entitled to a wider measure of flexibility in charging. But we do not accept that the success of that flexibility depends upon the concealment of railway rates." Mr Lennox-Boyd stressed that the Government would not be aveise to considering amendments of the bill on the lloor of the House." BOUNDARY REVIEW Commission Announces Divisions The Boundary Commission fqr England has notified the Home Secretary that it intends to consider making a report on the area of a number of parliamentary constituencies, states last night's London Gazette. The con stituencies are 1 Hastings. East Grin- stead, Ipswich.

Eye. Sudbury and Wood bridge, Preston South. South Fylde, City oi snemew, Stockport south, cneadie, the Hartlepools. Bishop Auckland, and seageneia. MR E.

S. MYERS The death occurred yesterday of Mr Eric S. Myers, aged 71. head of a Bradford firm of motor-dealers; and nationally known for his sporting interests. Mr was a pioneer- of the motor industry.

He'was president of the York shire Road Club. A eenial snd nonular sportsman, was keenly interested in "boxing, Rugby League football, and snooting. BIRTHS. MARRIAGES, AND DEATHS A- cer line Minimum two lines. All such announcements must be authenticated by the name and address of the sender, and in the case oC SnEszemems bv the lanatures of both parties.

Postage stamps or postal orders may he sent la payment. tne sea. xne explosion naa some resemblance to that of the atomic weapon exploded by. the United States in the waters of the Bikini lagoon. The cloud there rose to a height of a little over one mile.

Complete Records The peculiar Z-shaoe of the cloud ten minutes or so after the exDlosion was "due to the strong winds blowing in different directions at different heights. The cloud was pulled into a gigantic spiral snape wmcn, wnen seen irom tne snips ana from the mainland, amieared rather like a letter rapidly moving northwards away irom tne lsianas ana irom tne mainland. The experiment went according to plan and the scientific records were complete. We know what happened and we can give to the Civil Defence authorities some accurate answers to some of their rjroblems. It is, of course, an easy matter to report that we obtained a complete set of records it is more difficult to convey the scale of the effort involved.

Electronic gadgets were the basis of nearlv all measurements. We took no less than three hundred different types of electronic devices, and many of tnem were used in half-dozens or dozens. Some of them looked like television sets, but instead of a viewer watching a picture on a screen, a camera was used to Dhoto- grapti the reeord.which appeared. In other cases, measurements were automatically nassed by radio to a central recording office in one of the ships. Lots of photographs of the explosion were taken both stills and mo vine.

Most of the cameras were of types that can be bought in the shops or from scientific instrument matters. we were verv keen on setting ultra-rapid photo' graphs of the very early stages, when the fireball beean to burst through the shin. No camera can be bought with the speed that we wanted and so we designed ana duiii our own. We ran our camera in such a way that it took about a hundred pictures at intervals of ten microseconds that's to say, at the rate of 100,000 pictures per second. The exposure time for each picture was one ten-millionth of a second We expected that the contamination on the land near the explosion would be severe, and one of our primary jobs was to measure the degree of contamination.

Naturally, we were not going to take risks by entering the area too soon. The re-entry survey parties all wore protective clothing covering them from head to foot, and they also wore gas masks The appearance of men in this clothing, scrambling about on the white sandhills in the blazing sun and peering at their instruments every few seconds, was a weira sight. Combined Operation Evervone in the Darties sweated pro fusely, and one man lost no less than 17lb. in a single trip. However, on return to the health control centre, a few long drinks of water, some salt tablets, and a meal with lots of tea.

auickly restored the loss of weight and nobody felt any the worse. An aspect of the trial which calls for comment is the harmonious way in which scientists and Service men have worked together in a combined amphibious operation. The fighting services nowadays often comment on how technical all their paraphernalia is becoming On this occasion thev not onlv had to out ud with loads of scientific apparatus but thev also had the scientists as well. The ordeal was not as bad as they feared and everybody learnt valuable lessons So much for the trial. Now for the weapon itself, about which, of course.

can sav little. You no doubt realise, if only from the cost of all large atomic energy projects, tnat tne weapon is a complex affair involving specialists In manv fields of science anri eninperinp. The tissile material and all the equipment used at Monte Bello were made in Britain. I want, therefore, to take this opportunity of paying my tribute to all those in the Ministry of Supply establishments and Ordnance factories, and in indnstrv. whn worked so hard and so loyally to get the wont none.

i. myseii, wouia specially UKe to add a word of thanks to mv own slalT. Finally. Mr Churchill has said that the results of our atomic Weapon programme should be beneficial to public safety. As a scientist, I should like most strongly to agree with this view.

The energy and enthusiasm which have gone into the making of this new weapon stemmed essentially from the soher hope that it would bring us nearer the day when world war is universally seen to oe untninKapie. SIXTY YEARS ON Mr Churchill Hears Harrovians Sing Mr Churchill, the Prime Minister, returned to his old school, Harrow, last night for the thirteenth successive year, to hear the boys sing songs which he selected himself. An hour before he was due to arrive, a telephone call was received at Harrow from No. 10 Down-ins Street, saying the two closing lines of a song called The Island," of which a copy had been sent to him. were to be slightly altered.

In the school's Speech Room Mr Churchill listened intently as the youthful voices were raised in songs so laminar tnat once or twice he dabbed his eyes. Sometimes he tapped his foot and joined in. Afterwards, he told the oovs that he always preached the gospel of the Harrow songs. They only had to be learned by heart to provide a vocabu lary or trutn and simplicity which would be of service throughout life. They should be sung and lived from the heart.

"This is the thirteenth time I have had the great honour and comfort and pleasure of coming here in war and in peace, in office and out of it. to heao. again and be cheered Kv vnnr cinenncr I ne went on You must not sunnnsp that rh trnnhlee of Britain are over, because in the two last terrible wars which have shaken the world in the twentieth centurv we have emerged victorious, without shame of any muu uu uur escuicneon. eitner in tne masing or tne ngnting of those struggles. On the contrary, we mav feel that in the world which has grown so much vaster all round us and towers up about us.

we in this small island have tn make a ciinivmp effort to keep our place and station, a place and station to which our tradition and undying genius entitle us. A great effort is required and you, to whom much of the future belongs, will play your part in this piuuu. equal, democratic cingiana. Each and together, they had a chance to make, a contribution. 'The spirit which they learned at Harrow would enable this old country, this famous island, the centre of So much, to have an important effect upon the progress, freedom, and honour of the world, in the future, as it had in the past." AMERICAN CHALLENGED TO A DUEL Rome, November 7.

A former Italian MP. and colonel has challenged Mr James P. O'Donnell, associate editor of the. American magazine, "Saturday Evening Post," to a pistol duel, as he considers an article by Mr O'Donnell offensive; to the 'Italian Army. At one point the article says that some caustic critics feel that the Italian link in Admiral Carney's defence chain is made of "spaghetti." Admiral Carney, N.A.T.O.

Commander in Southern Europe, said last week that he was deeply humiliated by the article, and that it reflected neither his opinion nor that of his officers: Reuter. Well Looked After Mrs Monica Felton, 'who has just returned to London after spending two months in the Soviet Union, three months in China, and just under two weeks in North Korea, said at a press conference yesterday 1 visited British and American prisoners of war in Camp No. 5, talked with them freely and saw conditions under which they lived. They are decently housed and fed, well looked after, and in good health. They are also very Homesick." Mrs Felton said that the Manchester Guardian" had stated that she had made a statement in Peking that all British prisoners of war supported the cause of North Koreans.

aid not say that and that is a statement which is most emphatically untrue and is extremely unfair to the prisoners themselves. Nevertheless, a very high pro portion do support the cause of North Koreans, but to say all do is absolutely false." The statement in the "Manchester Guardian" to which Mrs Felton refers appeared on October 18 and quoted from a broadcast in English by the Peking radio' at 6 p.m. on October 6. Mrs Felton was reported by the Peking radio as saying: These men were originally confused but upon capture and earnest reflection on the part which they played in the war all of the men had come to realise that the war in Korea is unjust and that they must do all in their power to see that it is ended quickly and never occurs again." Not Indoctrinated Mrs Felton also stated th-t she had received many letters from prisoners of war. Two of them came from a Mr John Underwood, of Bournemouth, and a Mr George Richards, of Bognor Regis, and expressed bitter disappointment with the way the peace talks atifanmunjom naa developed.

There is po doubt in our minds someone is not sincere in bringing this war to a speedy end." one of the letters said. Mrs Felton commented I was able to talk with these chaos so freely and so intimately that I was really able to check whether this is official indoctrina tion by the Chinese or not, and it most emphatically is not." Tfce Chinese provided the prisoners wlln reading matter, put notnmg was torcea on them. They had an excellent library, including large numbers of the works of Dickens and vast quantity of Mark Twain. She herself had bought a large quantity of English books printed in FEWER CRIMINALS IN CHESHIRE A Righteous County? Mr W. Royle.

of- Runcorn, at a meeting of the Cheshire police authority at Chester yesterday, referring to a reported continuing decrease in crime committed in the county, said he wondered whether Cheshire was different from other counties. Reading in the press of demands for the reintro-duction of the cat, one gets the impression that crimes of violence show a terrifying increase. Have Cheshire people got a special bump of righteous ness or sometning The chairman. Sir Edwin Burgis, who had drawn attention to the decrease. said I like to think they have, but I do not know and would not like to say." In the third' quarter of this year the number of criminal cases had fallen from 2,650 to 2,363, compared with the same quarter last year.

Indictable offences committed by young persons under seventeen had decreased' from 409 to 280 and non-indictable offences had decreased by three. These facts indicate to my mind a definite tendency which has not been manifested for ten or twelve years," he said. CHANNEL SWIMMER TO APPEAL Suspension After Gift Mr Victor Birkett, the Eastbourne channel swimmer, who was suspended by the Sussex Amateur Swimming Association last week for accepting a silver salver from the Mayor of East bourne, decided last night to appeal against suspension. The salver was resented to him by the Mayor at a civic dinner to mark the town's appreciation of his being the first Sussex man to swim the Channel. The Mayor, Alderman Martin, paid for it out of his own pocket because local authorities are not allowed to spend money on gifts.

It was reported) to the Sussex Swimming Association that no member may accept a gift or souvenir worth more than 5. The chairman of the committee which organised the swim (Alder man Taylor) said last nignt tnat Birkett did not know beforehand that a salver was to be presented" and it came' as a surprise. How could he refuse to accept a salver" from Alderman Martin he asked. It would have been an insult to the Mayor, and bad manners." MAN CARRIES MINE THIRTY YARDS Mr S. Adamson.

of Reydon, Suffolk, waded knee-deep into the sea at South-wold yesterday, picked up a live mine, and carried it nearly thirty yards ud the beach to. a car-park, to await a bomb- disposal unit The mine, weighing 28 pounds, of the anti-invasion type buried along the East Coast beaches in 1940. v. AIRSHIP FALLS IN SEA New York. November 7.

A United States Naval airship crashed into the sea off Georgia to-day when a window blew out of its cabin and ripped a hole in the body. Its crew of ten was rescued by a submarine. British United Press. Moscow and had them sent out to the men. She had arranged with the Chinese Peace Committee that it a collection of books was made in Britain they would be forwarded to the men.

Large- numbers of technical books were in demand and one subject in which the men were interested was. How to organise a public meeting." In Korea the scale of the devastation caused by air bombing was even greater than a year and a half ago when she was there. In spite of perpetual terror-raiding, the people are quite obviously not terrified and if the aim of the bombing, as it appears to be, is to destroy the morale or tne civilian population, is absolutely unsuccessful." The North Koreans were behaving very much as the British people did during the war -Asked under whose auspices she made the tour, Mrs Felton replied I was invited to Moscow as a guest of the Committee for the Award of the International Stalin Peace Prize, made to me last September I was invited to China by the China Peace Committee. I went to Korea at my own reauest and after having to use some persuasion because the conditions are not very pleasant tnere." Mrs Felton was asked if she could estimate how many British and American prisoners of war there were in the camp ana replied tnat the war Office could say, as this information had been exchanged Met No Officers Asked about the number of prisoners with whom she spoke she said "I had detailed conversations with thirty or forty British. I had detailed conversations with about twelve Americans.

I talked with scores and scores of British as I went round. As went round tne cams every one came up. Asked for the names of the men to whom she talked, Mrs Felton said that she had no home addresses or regiments, and then gave the following list of names Trooper Fawcett, Rifleman Burton. Lance-Corporal Gill. Rifleman Pollard, Lance-Corporal McKell, Marine Andrew A.

Condron, Corporal Peter Williams, Gunner Oabbs, Mr E-. G. Beckerley, Mr A. C. Surridge, Lance-Corporal Campbell, and Corporal Taylor.

She saw no commissioned ranks as she had no time to go to the officers' camps. She did see one officer, an American pilot, John Quinn, from Pasadena, California. In answer to other questions, Mrs Felton estimated that there were six hun dred men in the camp. Their conditions were very good they said they had so much pork they were sick of it." Their sugar ration was ljlb. a month, and they had a tobacco ration.

Tne mail was bad Since the truce negotiations had begun the mail had come through Panmunjom They believed that a great deal of it never reached them at all. TALKS WITH INDIA OUTSIDE U.N. South Africa's Terms United Nations (New York), November 7. The South African delegate, Mr Jooste. said to-day that South Africa was still prepared to discuss with India and Pakistan ways and means of settling the question of the treatment of Indians in South Africa.

These discussions must be outside the United Nations. They must not prejudice the three Governments' rights in domestic jurisdiction, and they must not be related to resolutions passed or action taken by the unnea nations. Addressing the General Assembly's Political Committee Mr Jooste said South Africa would vote against the draft resolution Introduced by India and iourteen otner states which proposes to set up a United Nations Good Offices Commission to arrange negotiations between South Africa, India, and Pakistan. Lord Llewellin. the British delegate.

said the question appeared to be within the domestic jurisdiction of South Africa and provisions of the resolutions adapted at previous sessions of the General Assembly have, in the view of my delegation, undoubtedly constituted attempts to intervene in matters within that Government's domestic jurisdic tion." Britain' objected to two nortions of the draft resolution, one asserting that the South African Government has continued to enforce the Group Areas Act in contravention or tne terms of General Assembly resolution, and the other calling on the South African Government to suspend the provisions of the act. These paragraphs interfered in the domestic affairs of South Africa and also went far beyond the problem of Indians in bouth Africa. Britain, said Lord Llewellin, would vote against three paragraphs but would abstain on the resolution as a whole. Reuter. STOP PRESS Manchester Guardian Telephones atanehester: BUaektrlara Classified Adrertlslnx: BUcUriara 2399, Mnfon: CITy 50SO.

Printed and Published by LAURENCE PHESTWICH SCOTT, tor the Mufcnrraa GuAiDiaa tt Enrrnro tttvrs, at the Guardian Building. 5- Cress Street. Manchester 2. Saturday. November 8.

1952. BIRTHS WARING. On November 1. to PAMELA MARY inee uampsgni ana mmuu. jLKtat-H, a oauguLcr.

Newcastle Foad Leek WEBB. On November 6 to MOLMr (nee Isllpl, Bite oi hakui.u wfinu. a oauznier 1 Warwick Road. Romiley ENGAGEMENTS FORBES WICNALL. The engagement is announced oetweeu juun uitmuubM ruKuiua.

Sc. (Ens elder son oi Mrs 2. Forbes and the late Mr Forbes, of Sutton. Surrey, and DOROTHY HAZE! W1QNALL. joumest daughter 01 Mr snd Mrs Wlrnoll of 28 C'eveleys Road.

Southnort HOPKIN MASSE. The enragtmeni is announced oetween Ajr ttcu viuiuk. younger son oi tne isio Mr and Mrs Richard HOPKIN. ol Barry. and PATRICIA JUNE, eldest daughter of Mr and Idn John MASSEY.

ot Orest Eccleslon. Lancashire, and Camesler. Derbyshire RINDL BLOCH The engagement is announced Detaeen W1SKNJSK bvkn. OUT son oi tar ana Mrs E. 7 Moorfleld Road.

Manchester 20, and MARION, younger daughter of the late Mr ana Mrs 1 BLOCH. of Capetown. South Africa WATERKOUEE rOUATT. The engagement announced of GEORGE, only son of Mr and Mrs A. WATERHOnsz or Delahays Bouse.

Hale, and BETTY, elder daughter of Mrs and the lata Mr F. YODATT of Carlton Road. Bale SILVER WEDDING HORRIDCE HAYHURST. On November a. 1927, at Crumpsall Park Wesleyan Church.

Manchester, FRANK GARDINER HORRIDGE to HELEN HAYHURST. Present address- Bourne House. Brlms-combe. Gloucestershire DEATHS BULL. un NovemDer 6 at Eagle Louge Harrop Roid.

Hale. LILY, the dearly loved wife ot Charto Herbert BULL. Service and committal at the Manchester Crematorium on Monday. November 10, at 11 20 am Sprays or cut Borers, please. Inquiries to A B.

Brookes snd Sons. Ltd Tel. ALT 2000 and 2040 CrlADWICK. On November 7 in hospital, at Hoy Is re. ARTHUR GORDON CHAOWICK.

aged 51 years, husband of Barbara, of Bedford Boose. Service and committal at the Stock port Crematorium on Tuesday, November .11. at twelve noon. Inquiries to Squire Oldhsm. Ashton- under-Lyne TeL 1521 CRAWFORD.

On November 6. at 13 Boar street, Oldham. CHARLES WILLIAM, aced 66 tears Late Markrndalea. GRIFFITHS. On November 6.

,1952. suddenly, of 12 Carson Road. Levenshulme, JOHN BYNNER. Ih his 6 3rd yetr dearly loved husband of Imtiv GRIFFITHS Service at Zkrn Contretattonal Church. Levenshulme.

on' Monday next. November rn m. fnllAwMl bv Interment at Southern Cemetery at 5 p.m. to Messrs Charln Robb and Sons. Ltd Tel ivsuu snn uiu mvv 8YDKEY aged 79 years beloved husband of Maud and eldest -fd last surviving' son of the late James and Jane tlioii AM.

oi tjevensniume ana warsier. MOLD EN. On November 5. 1352 at Chalmers Hospital. Banff.

ELAINE WINIFRED Route scnooi-house Aberrhlrder. dearly beloved site of the tale Herbert HOLD EN formerly of Manchester Funeral private LANCASTER. On November passed peacefully mi it Tit Hills. Demniry. AMELIA MARY, formerly ox Brouabton.

Manchester. Puneral Monday at 8t Tudno's. Great Orme. at 2 No novera please CROSSWORD part to getting rid (4). river (4).

draw this may lead to 17). casters may be fitted made an end to repose DOWN Uncomplaining patience Roman's cloak (41. with a rich tail (7). (7). in which questions answered C4).

tribute to courage 3. (I i 11 i Ceremonial carpet has (4.3). praise but in a rite-t7). old-fashioned to sit I'D residue in a wood 3. as a melancholy (7.

be shivered by stage 7. tend to give one the (4). only crown Jewels get 111 lfc VBJ. DtartshtD' on Mondnr, --wr-M. Em rial.