OGADEN FRONT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 269, 13 November 1935, Page 11

OGADEN FRONT.

AFTER FIPST SCARE.

SANG FROID RETURNS.

WATERHOLE GUARDS. (By LAURENCE STALLINGS.) HARRAR, October 15. It is clear that the local population has definitely recovered its sang froid. The revival of confidence is visible on all sides and little attention is paid even to authentic reports that Italian scouting aeroplanes are flying over the territory and surveying the approaches from the frontier. When information was passed in to Harrar to the effect that Italian air activity was increasing, the senior officer of the troops here moved his transport to the shelter of a grove of trees and then resumed the patrolling of the market place. Eventually he found his way to the Greek hotel, where he drank his share of brandy at the gala feast given in honour of the reopening of the hotel. One of the incidents during the feast was the firing of the machine guns placed on the hotel balcony. Correspondents who are flocking here in anticipation of military operations have been disappointed up to now and have been greatly perturbed by the action of the censorship, which forbids the use of cameras. I was given permission to ride on a mule to a spot on a nearby mountain, -vhich has been a favourite excursion of mine. I was stopped, however, by families of Abyssinians who are camping close to some springs on the hillside. They would simply not allow me to pass, because I was a white man. Provided the Italians advance to tho Ogaden Plateau, there will be some desperate fighting and every waterhole will be defended. About 50,000 new Mausers have been distributed among : the hill folk, who are guarding the springs. They were also served out with three days' supply of ammunition, which is of English make. There were no blanks in that ammunition. I know, because I bought some and indulged in target practice.— N.A.N.A.