NEWS BY RADIO

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 January 1940, Page 6

NEWS BY RADIO

MR. CHAMBERLAIN’S SPEECH WAR AT PRELIMINARY STAGE. IN FULL OPERATION ONLY AT SEA. The following Daventry reports have been rebroadegst by the New Zealand national stations: — In his Mansion House speech, the British Prime Minister, Mr Chamberlain, said operations on land and in the air had been merely preliminary and that it was only at sea that, the war had been in full operation. The result of the conflict at sea had been not unsatisfactory to the Allies. After referring to the relative smallness of their losses. Mr Chamberlain proceeded to speak of other countries. Finland, he said, could rest assured that the British promise of help would be no formality. He expressed Britain’s sympathy with Turkey in her earthquake disaster and said Britain and France wanted to give . additional help. The collaboration of Britain and France covered every aspect of the war. Neither country would want to give it up when the war was over and it might be extended to other nations. Mr Chamberlain said the risk of air raids was not over and had not diminished. He believed Britain would make a capital mistake if she were to reverse her policy in that direction. He stated that British people would have to do without a lot of things, to put up with rationing and to share and share alike in order to bring the war to a successful conclusion. Germany had openly stated that her desire was to destroy the British Empire. Britain had no such vindictive desire but the German people must realise that responsibility for prolonging this war. with all its sufferings, rested upon them. Sir John Anderson. Minister of Home Security, drew attention to the imperative need for continuing all air raid precautions. He pointed out that the German air fleet was still intact. ATTACKS ON SHIPPING. German planes attacked shipping off the English coast, five ships being involved. two oil the east coast of Scotland near the Firth of Fay and two further south. Visibility was bad and the enemy machines approached the coast under cover of mist. A number of bombs were dropped but no serious damage was done on four ships, on which only one man was slightly injured The' fifth ship suffered some damage and 32 members of the crew were injured. Fighter planes were sent up but could not make contact with the enemy machines. ARMY CHIEFS HONOURED. The highest French order, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, has been conferred upon Lord Gort, Com-mander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force, and General Sir Edmund Ironside, Chief of the Imperial General Staff. The insignia of the order was handed to both by Marshal Gamelin, Commander-In-Chief of the Allied Armies in France, at the British General Headquarters. The ceremony took place after a luncheon at which Mr Winston Churchil, First Lord of the Admiralty, who is making a visit to the British Expeditionary Force, was also present. THE AXIS PARTNERS. Herr Hitler has returned to Beilin, where he is holding a series of conferences with his chief advisers. It is stated that efforts are being made to reconcile Germany’s relations with Russia and Italy. The Italian Government. it is reported, has asked Germany what she intends to do with the Italian planes held up on their way to Finland. It is said that the first consignment got through but that the German Government has held up later ones. The German decision was made, it is asserted, against her Axis partner under pressure from Moscow. It can no longer be denied in Berlin that the value of Soviet Russia to Germany is proving disappointing. Owing to lack of transport and stocks of food being low the expected benefits of the new trade agreement have not been fulfilled. The Hungarian Foreign Minister has arrived in Budapest after his conference at Venice with Count Ciano, Italian Foreign Minister. He said they were working for peace and were confident of success.