London, Apr. 6, The Government was asked in the House of Commons today by Mr. Geoffrey Mander, Opposition Labour member for East Wolverhampton, to state the position concerning the JJepanese occupation of Spratley Islands.
In reply, Mr. R. A. Butler, Under-[Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, suid that Spratley Island, on the western fringe of a large archipelago, was claimed in full sovereignty bby the French Government by virtue of annexation, by a decree in 1933.
The Japanese Government, on March. 3, announced that it had placed Spratley and other islands claimed by the French under the administ tive jurisdiction of the Government General of Formosa. The question of 8 protest, he added, was a matter primarily for the French Government fo decide, Mr. Mander asked whether, in view of the British obligations to assist the French in the protection of their overseas territory, it was not of the utmost importance that Britain should associate herself with France in the protest occupation of this, French territory.
The House, Mr. Butler replied, would appreciate that this matter was primarily for the French Government, "The British Government intend to keep in close touch with the French in this connection, as in all. other eatters of common concern," he pro-
Mr, Wedgwood Benn, Labour member for the Gorton division Manchester, ached if this island was not of strategical_ importance for Britain as well, Mr. Butler: "Obviously this island is of great strategic importance."—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.