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Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1922, Page 5

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KEMAL STILL SILENT. earlier REPORTS dented ACTIVITY IN THE ZONE. TURKS AT MANY POINTS. (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. There is no truth in the report that Kemal has accepted a conference,” said the Prime Minister to your corres- ' pondent to-night in reference to the crisis in the Near East. Earlier in the day the Prime Minister had been asked a question on the subject in the House. He then said that one of the items in a cablegram he had reeevied was to the effect that Kemal had not consented to abide by the result of the conference. That announcement made the position exceedingly serious. DELAY TO KEMAL’S REPLY. CONSULTING GOVERNMENT. London, Sept. 28. The delay in the receipt of Kemal’s reply to the Allies is due, as was expected, to his consulting the Angora Government, and may extend to several days. Meantime the situation in the neutral zone is rather critical. A BAFFLING POSITION. MOVEMENTS OF THE TURKS. MANY POINTS OCCUPIED. AEROPLANES TO OBSERVE. Received Sept. 29, 7.45 p.m. London, Sept. 28. What is going on behind Kemal’e invading cavalry screen is a question which has been baffling the British forces for several days, but it will soon be solved, as a large number of aeroplanes have arrived with reinforcements from Egypt and Malta. It is estimated sixty machines are available and these will be able to make reconnaissances. So far this has not been attempted, in order to avoid clashes. If it is found that Kemal is massing big guns such action can only be regarded as a distinct threat against the British, necessitating immediate action. The Morning Posts Constantinople correspondent states a doubtful position still prevails in the Chanak zone. The Kemaiist cavalry continue to filter in all round our posts in bands of a hundred to two hundred, under the white flag or with rifles reversed whenever near our troops. Their number now amounts to about three thousand altogether. There is no sign of aggression, but our I situation is most difficult from a military point of view, as the Turks’ movements are naturally excellent means of reconnoitring. Meanwhile our detachments move freely between the iat unite. A detachment of two thousand Kemal ists. which on Monday assumed posts at Erenkeuy, eight miles from Chanak, have left, but are still inside the zone. Others advanced due es-’t of Chanak and assumed a position on Sirtepe Hill. Others again occupied Lapsaki, while vet others came in between Bigha and Karabigha. cutting off Chanak from Bigha There is no indication of any guns or strong concentrations outside the zone.—United Service. THE TURKS’ EXCUSES. NEUTRAL ZONE CLEARLY DEFINED. ALLIED GENERAL’S REPLY. Received September 29, 5.5 pm. London, Sept. 28. The Constantinople correspondent of the Morning Post says General Harington’s reply to Kemal’s note points out that it is the first intimation of any misunderstanding concerning rhe neutral zonee, which the Kemaiist army commander helped to mark out. He adds: “I am Willing to meet you if any misunderstanding exists. The British reinforcements are solely in the interests of peace.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ATTITUDE OP RUSSIA. SUPPORT DOUBTED. London. Sept. 28. The Constantinople correspondent of the Daily Express attributes the delay in the definition to Angora’s attitude to the growing belief that the Russians do not intend seriously to support the KemaFats- attempt to expel the Allies. The Russian decision is due to the recognition that the Franco-Kemalist agreement is inimical to Russian interests. MOVEMENTS OF TURKS. TOWARDS ISMID AND CHANAK. Received Sept. 29, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 28. A succession of Cabinet meetings, unprecedented since war time, shows the delicacy of the Near East situation. The latest news received in Ixmdon Indicates that the Kemalists continue their movement towards Ismid and Chanak. —Reuter. GERMAN NON-COMS. HUNDREDS SENT TO TURKEY. Received Sept. 29, 55 p.m. Paris, Sept. 28. A message from Berlin states several hundred ex-non-commissioned officers of the German army were sent to Turkey during last week by a Turco-German organisation whose existence was recently discovered.