NATION RESOLUTE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1940, Page 5

NATION RESOLUTE

SPEECHES BY BRITISH MINISTERS RESTORATION OF NORWAY'S FREEDOM. VITAL TO WORLD PEACE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 2. “I believe Britain regards the restoration of freedom to the people of Norway as vital to world peace and that we shall not rest until that has been achieved,” said the Lord Privy Seal, Sir Kingsley Wood, in a speech. He continued: “Justification for our particapation in this conflict becomes plainer every day as we have seen a sticcession of wicked and cruel attacks by Germany on small and weak States who unhapply thought their neutrality might save them.”

Referring to the presence of Allied forces in the Near and Middle East, Sir Kingsley Wood said they were not there for the purpose of menacing anyone. They were there for whatever duty they may be called upon to face and their presence will fortify “oui' good friends, Egypt and Turkey.”

The Minister of Health (Mr Walter Elliott), speaking on Thursday evening, said the nation was absolutely united in its determination to win the war and as soon as possible. “There is no division of spirit or purpose either within the Government or within the country,” he said. “Britain is an anvil j which has worn out many hammers. The world has looked to London for a thousand years and heard many a great poet and many a great statesman and has seen many a great warrior. We have no mind to be false to our history. Foot to foot we will fight it out. “We do not fear hard blows,” he continued, “for beyond them all we look to a peace—to build our houses; to bring up our children; to see the sky without searchlights and the streets without sandbags; and lead again the good life of free men. in a free land. “But these things must be reconquered whenever they are in danger. They are in danger now and now is the time for the resolve that whoever fails freedom, we as individuals—we each one of us—will not. Such is the choice. We cannot fail to answer. NAZI LYING ON EVE OF INVASION ON DENMARK. WORTHLESS ASSURANCE GIVEN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, May 3. It has now become known that on the day before the Germans occupied Denmark, the German naval attache at Copenhagen solemnly assured the Danish Foreign office that there was no truth whatever in the rumour of a projected German invasion. GERMAN HOPES NEW AIR AID SEA BASES. ESTIMATE OF ENEMY FORCES. LONDON. May 3. Swedish sources report that German mechanised units are proceeding to Trondheim unimpeded. Norwegian ( guerillas may still be active, but it is believed that the organised resistance south of Trondheim has practically ceased. German sources expect the • immediate construction of new air and submarine bases to operate against the British.

Some Swedish quarters estimate the German force in Southern Norway now at. 150.000,