THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS AWAITING A PROGRESS REPORT FROM ITS SPECIAL ENVOY IN RHODESIA, MR. JAMES BOTTOMLEY, FOLLOWING REPORTS THAT A MEETING HAS TAKEN PLACE BETWEEN MR. BOTTOMLEY AND MR. IAN SMITH, LEADER OF THE REBEL REGIME. YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) MR. BOTTOMLEY HAD TALKS WITH THE GOVERNOR OF RHODESIA. SIR HUMPHREY GIBBS.

YESTERDAY'S TALKS BETWEEN MR. BOTTOMLEY AND SIR HUMPHREY TOOK PLACE IN GOVERNMENT HOUSE IN SALISBURY. ANY CONTACT BETWEEN MR. BOTTOMLEY AND MR. SMITH WOULD HAVE TO BE ARRANGED THROUGH SIR HUMPHREY, AND REPORTS FROM THE RHODESIAN CAPITAL SAY THAT SUCH A MEETING HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.

MR. BOTTOMLEY'S ARRIVAL WAS WIDELY REPORTED IN THE RHODESIAN PRESS AFTER THE BRITISH DISCLOSURE THAT HE WAS BEING SENT TO SALISBURY AS A SPECIAL ENVOY.

MEANWHILE THE RHODESIAN REGIME HAS INTRODUCED A BILL IN PARLIAMENT TO REPEAL THE MANDATORY DEATH SENTENCE ON CONVICTED TERRORISTS. DISCRETION OF THE COURTS WOULD BE RESTORED UNDER THE BILL, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A REPRIEVE OF 52 AFRICANS UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH - A MOVE WHICH COULD EASE THE WAY OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH BRITAIN.