WAR NEWS

Evening Star, Issue 23696, 2 October 1940, Page 8

WAR NEWS

FEDERAL ELECTION

DOUBTFUL SEATS DECIDED THREE OFFICIAL LABOUR GAIKS SYDNEY, October 2. (Received October 2, at 9.15 a.m.) The distribution of preferences in three doubtful New _ South Wales Federal seats resulted in the defeat of the Government retiring candidate, Mr J. Jennings, in the Watson electorate, hy the Official Labourite, Mr S. Falstein, by 2,400 votes. The Official Labourite, Mr J. H. Chifley, has defeated the retiring Government candidate, Mr J. N. Lawson, in Macquarie by 8,000 .votes'. The Official Labourite, Mr C. Morgan, defeated the retiring Non-Communist Labourite, Mr J. Gander, jn the Reid constituency by 2,341 votes. Mr Gander was a member of the Beasley Labour “ Non-Com-munist ” group, which is now reduced to four in the House of Representatives. The Robertson seat has been won by a Government supporter, Mr E. Spooner, from the retiring Government candidate, E. Gardner, by only 345 votes. Mr Spooner was a Minister in a former Stevens New South Wales Ministry. The Hume seat was retained by the retiring Country Party member, Mr T. Collins, whose majority over his nearest opponent, the Official Labourite, Mr O. Nolan, was 920 votes, CONFERENCE OF PARTY LEADERS POSTPONED TILL MONDAY MELBOURNE, October 2. (Received October 2, at 10.30 a.m.) Following a telephone conversation with Mr Curtin in Perth to-day, Mr Menzies announced that the conference of political party leaders called for Friday has been postponed until Monday, by when it is expected that all the doubtful seats will be resolved and the true state, of the parties known. AUSTRALIAN AIR FORGE OMITS NOW IN BRITISH MALAYA ti : ———— MELBOURNE, October 2. (Received October 2, at 9.30 a.m.) The Prime Minister announced that an undisclosed number of Australian Air Force squadrons had been transferred to stations in British Malaya, including Singapore. He said the units would take the place of R.A.F. squadrons who were being transferred elsewhere, thus “ it is a matter of great satisfaction to our people that our airmen are able : to make a'contribution to Britain’s air strength in a sphere of vital interest to Australian people.” SHIPPING LOSSES , ft ADMIRALTY REPORT x LONDON, October 1. (Received October 2, at 9.30 a.m.) An Admiralty report states that the i -British lost 19 merchantmen, totalling 131,857 tons, in the week ended September 22. German and Italian losses since the outbreak of war to September 29 were 1,067,000 and 291,000 tons respectively. Thirty-three thousand tons of neutral shipping seized by the enemy had been sunk. WORST WEEK RECORDED. The combined total British, Allied, and neutral mercantile losses due to enemy action for the week ended September 22 reached 159,288 tons, which is the largest recorded, although considerably below the German claim of 201,862 tons. These losses were principally due to submarine activity. The 27 ships lost comprised 19 British (totalling 131,857 tons), three Allied (13,006 tons), and five neutral (14,425 tons). SPAIN AND AXIS CONFERENCE IN ROME ROME, October 1. (Received October 2, at 11 a.m.) Senor Suner conferred with Mussolini. LONDON HOSPITALS SS TWENTY DAMAGED BY BOMBS , (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 1. (Received October 2, at 11 a.m.) Lord Luke, in a speech in London, said no fewer than 20 London hospitals, including some of the biggest, had been damaged by Nazi bombing raids. KNIGHTED BY KING REAR-ADMIRAL HARWOOD (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 1. (Received October 2, at 10 a.m.) Rear-Admiral Sir Henry Harwood, commander at the River Plate engagement in December, returned home for the first time since the great victory, and -to-day was knighted by the King Buckingham Palace.

PROFESSOR EINSTEIN NOW AN AMERICAN CITIZEN (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 1. (Received October 2 ,at 1.3 S ip.m.) Professor Albert Einstein, the German Jewish exile and well-known scien-

tist, who propounded the relativity theory, became a United States citizen to-day. CANADA AND NEW ZEALAND TRADE AGREEMENT EXTENDED OTTAWA, October 1. (Received October 2, at 11 a.m.) It is announced that an Order-in-Council has been passed extending the trade agreement with New Zealand until September 30, 1941. DETAINED IN ANTIGUA REPRESENTATIVES OF VICHY GOVERNMENT CHARLOTTE AMALIE (Virgin Isles), October 1. Two special representatives of the Vichy Government are reported to have been detained by the British authorities in Antigua while travelling by air to the United States from Martinique. TRAINING PLANE CRASHES PILOT ESCAPES UNHURT SYDNEY, October 1. An Air Force training plane crashed in the Blue Mountains to-day during thick mist. The pilot-officer, Lionel Webber, aged 23, baled out, and was unhurt. He reached a farmhouse and told his story. Lost in the mist, he became detached from two other planes and searched in vain for a place to land. The machine went into a spin and caught fire and was destroyed. GOLD AND OIL CANADIAN PRODUCTION INCREASED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 30. Canada is increasing her production of both gold and oil. During the first five months of 1940 over 65,000 more ounces of gold was produced compared with the same period of 1939. The increase over the first five months of 1939 in the output of crude petroleum and natural gasolene is nearly 500,000 barrels. WAR FINANCES ANALYSIS OF EXCHEQUER RETURNS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 30. The Exchequer returns for the first half of the financial year show that the total of ordinary revenue amounted to £452,518,411, an increase of £114,054,021 over the corresponding period of the last financial year. The most striking increases in the yield of various sources of revenue are in respect of income tax, which at £95,111,000 .is £42,101,000 higher than a year ago, and excise, which is over £23,000,000 higher, at £85,100,000. The total expenditure, less solf-bal-ancing items, was £610,135,776, compared with. £552,826,210 at the corresponding date in 1939 after only one month of war. This great increase in expenditure, y which was almost exclusively in the supply of services, reflects the country’s effort in the prosecution of the war. The floating debt outstanding at September 30 totalled £2,136,680,000. Nine revenue items have shown an increase, compared with a similar period last year. Surprisingly, they include an increase of £982,000 in motor vehicle duties. AMERICAN FLEET EXERCISES IN CANAL ZONE PANAMA, September 30. In war exercises the United States Navy, in collaboration with the Air Wing, successfully defended the Canal ZoncT against theoretical European bombers. The theory of the exorcises is that the United States fleet has defeated an Asiatic licet, and then hastens to the canal to repel an attack hy European units which have established a base on the South American coast in the Caribbean,

PACIFIC BASES BILL BEFORE AMERICAN SENATE WASHINGTON, September 30. Senator King introduced a Bill authorising the President to begin negotiations immediately to acquire, lease, or purchase British possessions in the Pacific or bordering on it. In return the President would be authorised to extend loans and credits to Empire countries. The Bill also provides for a reduction of the British war debt and modifies the Johnson and Neutrality Acts to facilitate loans to Britain. Senator King pointed out that the acquisition of Pacific bases was intended to retaliate against Japan and strengthen the United States’ position against any further expansion. Senator King praised the British resistance, and said the struggle was to preserve all democracy. PETRDL RATIONING / OPERATING IN AUSTRALIA SYDNEY, October 1. Petrol rationing operated from today, and there were considerably fewer cars on the roads. Private car owners, preferring to conserve their supplies for week-end tours, reverted to trains, trams, and ferryboats to take them to business. JAPANESE NAVY SPECIAL REVIEW TO BE HELD TOKIO, October 1. (Received October 2, at 10 a.m.) The navy announced that a special review commemorating the nation’s 2,600 th anniversary would be held off Yokohama Harbour on October 11. BERLIN CHILDREN TO BE EVACUATED BERLIN, September 30. Opportunity is being given to parents to send to the country children whose health might be impaired by R.A.F. raids. Well-to-do parents must pay the expenses of evacuation, which is voluntary. Welfare organisations are meeting the cost of temporary homes for poor children. ' NAZI RACIAL LAWS TO BE APPLIED TO FRANCE (By Radio.) DAVENTRY, October 2. The Germans are to apply the Nuremburg racial laws to occupied France. No Jews who left the country are to be allowed to return, and Jewish shops must display special placards. POLISH AIR SQUADRON SEVERAL HIGH DECORATIONS LONDON, October 1. (Received October 2, at 11.40 a.m.) . General Sikorski awarded several high Polish decorations Ijp the celebrated Polish squadron which has shot down 101 planes up to September 30, of which 30 were accounted for on September 27. EVACUATION OF LONDONERS SIX MORE BOROUGHS IN SCHEME LONDON, October 1. (Received October 2, at 11.20 a.m.) Mr Malcolm MacDonald (Minister of Health) stated that an opportunity would be given to mothers and children in six more London boroughs to evacuate to the country. The Government is arranging transport and billets and is paying a lodging allowance to householders. Evacuation now applies to 14 boroughs. EMERGENCY FEEDING CENTRES LONDON'S BOMBED AREAS LONDON, October 1. (Received October 2, at 11.40 a.m.) Lord Woolton stated that 58 emergency feeding centres had been opened in London’s’ bombed areas. Provision had also been made for a further 200. Food was available to anyone ready and willing to pay. There was no desire to give anything for nothing. Arrangement had also been made for mobile vans to feed people in shelters, particularly in the mornings. Similar feeding centres were being established in other big centres. LEAKAGE OF INFORMATICS BRITAIN IMPOSING STRICTER MEASURES LONDON, October 1. (Received October 2, at 10.30 a.m.) As the result of leakages of informa- 1 tion to the enemy, particularly in connection with General do Ganllo’s Dakar expedition, Britain henceforth is imposing more vigorous restrictions on the entry of persons from occupied and unoccupied Franco.

FRENCH DESTROYERS CHASED BY BRITISH WARSHIPS MADRID, October 1. (Received October 2, at 10.30 a.m.) It is reported from Ceuta that two French destroyers passed the Straits of Gibraltar to-day and were chased a considerable distance by British warships. FORGED LANDING IN EIRE BRITISH PILOT INTERNED DUBLIN, September 30. It is officially announced that a British plane made a forced landing near Enniscorthy. The pilot, who was not injured, was interned.