— Portrait of the Week— MR. SELWYN LLOYD presented his
first Budget, changing the surtax limits for the first time for forty-one years, and asking for powers to alter certain duties and taxes between Budgets.
* ANTI-CASTRO FORCES LANDED in Cuba, captured an airstrip (and, it is said, Dr. Castro's brother), and began to fly in supplies. It was generally assumed that the invasion was directed by Senor Cardona, once a supporter of Dr. Castro, and his first Prime Minister. The United States Govern- ment said that it hadn't helped, and wasn't help- ing, the invaders, and Mr. Khrushchev told President Kennedy that he had, and was, and mustn't. Details of the Soviet reply to the British note on 'Laos were not revealed by the Foreign Office. United States Navy aircraft flew 6,500 miles into the Antarctic and back to rescue a sick Russian scientist. In Israel, where the Eichmann trial continued, it was announced that Colonel Israel Baer, an official historian, had been arrested for spying for 'a foreign power.' In Britain, an official, George Blake. 'of no fixed address,' was charged with a similar offence 'of great impor- tance' and, after a brief hearing in camera, was remanded in custody.
* THE PORTUGUESE AUTHORITIES IMPOSED a curfew and reinforced their troops in Angola, where there were continued clashes between police and dissident Africans. The Kenya Government, which has now been calling Jomo Kenyatta 'Mr.' for some weeks, has begun to build him a house, and was said to be considering, now that he has a settled address, whether he ought not to be 'Esquire.'
TWO MEMBERS .OE THE Electrical Trades Union brought an action against the president, the assistant secretary, six members of the executive and seven others, seeking a declaration that the election of Mr. Frank Haxell, the General Secre- tary, was 'rigged,' and alleging conspiracy. Mr. Haxell and the other defendants agreed that the election was jnvulid and another must be held; the action continued. Mr. Wedgwood Benn (sometimes laughingly referred to as Lord Stans- gate) announced his intention of fighting the by- election at Bristol South East occasioned by his own elevation to the House of Lords, and seemed In some danger of support from Mr. Nabarro. Mr. Victor Gollancz launched 'the final and decisive campaign' to abolish capital punishment, and announced that a memorial signed by thou- sands of the country's most distinguished people would be submitted to the Prime Minister.
II
WAS ANNOUNCED THAT three and a half million
Rumanian eggs had been landed in Britain, that another two and a half million were on the way, and that sixteen million Polish eggs were expected this week—all cheaper than home-laid. Three farmers' unions and the Egg Marketing Board protested to the Board of Trade against this dumping. The New Zealand Government also complained, at Geneva, against the dumping of butter, chiefly in Britain, and chiefly from the Scandinavian countries, at prices below those in the country of origin. No housewives were heard to complain. It was announced that Imperial Chemical Industries (Metals Division), Rolls- Royce and the Rio Tinto Company had 'jointly formed a new company to co-operate in the field of civil nuclear engineering in collaboration with the atomic power consortia,' and it was learned with relief that instead of being called 'The Imperial Chemical Industries (Metals Division), Rolls-Royce, and Rio Tinto Company (Civil Nuclear Engincering1 Ltd.,' it would be known as 'Nuclear Developments.'
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