§ Mr. SPOORasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Swiss Government has voted the sum of 50,000 francs for the victims of the earthquakes in Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey; that the Government of the Serb-Croat-Slovene State has voted 1910W 3,000,000 dinars for Bulgaria; and whether His Majesty's Government will consider making a grant for the same purpose?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI am aware that the Governments mentioned have made grants to Bulgaria, and in one case also to Greece, for the relief of distress caused by the recent earthquake. In this country, on the other hand, it has been the practice in such cases, whether occurring at home or in foreign countries, to leave the organisation of relief to private initiative. I understand that a fund has already been opened for the benefit of sufferers in Bulgaria. His Majesty's Government have not shown themselves indifferent to the distress caused by the recent disasters in Greece and Bulgaria, as is shown by the replies given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Brightside on the 18th instant, and by that given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the hon. Member for Shipley on the same day, in which it was shown that in the case of Greece substantial assistance was rendered by His Majesty s Navy, and in that of Bulgaria His Majesty's Government have agreed in principle to the remission of the next reparation payment.