READY TO ACT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25293, 29 August 1945, Page 7

READY TO ACT

SOUTH-EAST ASIA ZONE MOVE TOWARD SINGAPORE CRecd. 6.80 p.m.) RANGOQN, An«. 28 The leader of the Japanese surrender delegation to Rangoon, Lieu-tenant-General Katazo Ntimata, faced more lights and cameras than a Hollywood film star when he signed the agreement with the J British at Government House, says | the Daily Express correspondent in Rangoon. The glare was so bright that Numata was forced to shade tlis eyes as he brushed his spidery [ signature with quick, deft strokes. Fifty pressmen, wearing sun glasses for protection against arc lights, watched the ceremony. Disagreements among the Japanese, necessitating their retirement for 1 private consultations, three times postponed the signing. British East Indies Fleet I Warships of the British East Indies • Fleet are on their way toward two little [ islands at the entrance to the Malacca . Strait, the sea lane to Singapore. They i are in two task forces, one bound for ; Penang, oft' north-west Malaya, and the other for Sebang, off northern Sumatra. ! The force heading for Peaang includes ■ the battleship Nelson and the aircraft- ; carrier Hunter and is commanded by i Vice-Admiral Walker. The warships for ! Sebang are led by the cruiser London. ; Penang and Sabang guard the northern and western entrances to Malacca Strait, where mine-sweeping . will begin as 60on as the Japanese naval . authorities have handed over the charts of their minefields, which for three and a-half years have blocked the way into Singapore. Numata told the Japanese fleet by radio that he had guaranteed the safety of the British wax-ships within coastal waters. He ordered Japanese aircraft not to attack them. He added that no landings would be made until after the surrender had been signed in Tokyo. That included Penang and Sebang. Australians'lor Singapore Australian airborne troops are ready to move into Singapore when the signal is given. The first will be landed in six transport planes and others will follow. As soon as Singapore Harbour is clear of mines Catalina flying-boats will go in. Some of the Australian prisoners of war will be flown out. A broadcast from Singapore stated that the Japanese are making efforts to preserve order there and are suffering large casualties. Disturbances and railway sabotage are occurring throughout Malaya. According to a staff officer the Japanese garrison at Singapore is still truculent. The Allies are considering demanding the replacement of the garri-son-commander, General Itagaki. The New Delhi radio reports that British troops have made contact with the Japanese forces in the Sittang River bend, north-east of Rangoon, and have arranged for the Japanese to evacuate the area. The Allies will begin immediately to carry out air reconnaissance over Jap-anese-held territory and drop supplies and first-aid teams to prisoners' of war and internees. The Japanese have agreed to withdraw troops from certain areas in the South-east Asia Command zone and will receive an Allied Control Commission at the headquarters of their southern armies at Saigon. IMPERIAL WISDOM JAPANESE REPRIMANDED NEW YORK, Aug. 27 "Confusion on the home front appears more complicated than in the front lines," said the Japanese Minister of War, General Shimomura, in a broadcast. "Some Japanese desire to fight on even alone or commit suicide but the Imperial decision is farsighted and mandatory." The Tokyo radio announced that an extraordinary session of the Japanese Diet, the purpose of which is to clarify frankly the reasons for capitulation, has been postponed to Tuesday of next week because of the delay in the surrender arrangements. CHEERS AT SHANGHAI CROWDS GREET AMERICANS (Reed. 6.10 p.m.) 9 LONDON, Aug. 28 Two American planes carrying correspondents and press officers have landed at Shanghai. They were greeted by cheering crowds. At the Shanghai airfield they were told that the Chinese Army had completed the occupation of the city. t A Chungking report says the Chinese deputy-Chief of Staff has arrived at Nanking to set up advance headquarters. His party of Chinese officers was taken down the Yangtse in seven American transports. FRANCE IMPOVERISHED WAR'S ENORMOUS COST (Rml. 5.35 p.m.) PARIS, Aug. 27 The war cost France £24.485,000,000, or 45 per cent of her national wealth, said M. Tietgcn, French Minister of Information, in a speech. The Minister estimated that the war destroyed nearly 2.000,000 houses, 5000 bridges, half France's railway stations, and threefifths of her railway coaches. France also lost half her livestock and threequarters of her agricultural machinery.