FALL OF MALAGA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 33, 9 February 1937, Page 7

FALL OF MALAGA.

INSURGENT CLAIMS. Occupation of Centre of City By Rebels. "ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME." I'nited Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 12 noon.) LOXDOX, February 8. General Franco officially broadcast he capture of Malaga and the occupation of the centre of the city by General Dcilano's southern army whom the populace enthusiastically welcomed. A Gibraltar message says rebel wireless stations announced "the surrender of Malaga after looting by Loyalists. Rebel warships are reported to have entered the port. The British fruit steamer Hallfern arrived at Gibraltar from Malaga with refuses, who have not vet been permitted to land. * ' Sixty thousand rebel troops and Italian volunteers, commanded by General Dellano, who is aboard the cruiser Canarias, under General Franco's orders, comprised the force attacking the Loyalist stronghold of Malaga from three sides, supported on the fourth by other rebel cruisers, German-built motor launches, and Italian submarines, which shelled the coastal road in spite of a retaliatory aerial bombardment. Government forces. numbeMng 30,000, doggedly resisted the onslaughts on Malaga. Additional Italian volunteers to aid the rebels landed at Cadiz. The rebels captured the Loyalist coastal town of Torremolinos, 10 "miles south of Malaga. A Government pursuit aeroplane brought down a rebel tri-motored aeroplane, which crashed into the sea and sank. Government troops are vigorously attacking on a wide front 20 miles from Cordoba, one of the key positions in southern Spain. "The Times" correspondent at Valencia says that Gheve, a son of Ras Imru, the former Abyssinian leader, who is now a prisoner in Italy, has arrived to enlist to fight against the rebels. BRITAIN AND SPAIN. RECOGNITION OF GOVERNMENT British Official Wireless. (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, February 8. Asked in the House of Commons whether the Government was prepared to reconsider recognition of "the present regime of the Left in Spain," since the latest information went to prove that it represented not only a minority in that country but a minority, "financed and directed by Moscow for many years," Viscount Cranborne, Foreign Undersecretary, replying, said that the information of the Government was that the present Spanish Government contained representatives of all parties except for one or two small proiips. comprising the Popular Front, which was successful at the last Spanish election. The Government was not prepared to reconsidej recognition. Up to the end of last month nearly 17,000 men, women and children, of more than 50 different nationalities, have been evacuated from all parts of Spain, and the* Balearic and Canary Islands. GERMAN TROOPS. HITLER ACTION RESENTED. LONDON, February 8. The "Daily Herald" diplomatic correspondent says that parents, wives and sweethearts all over Germany resent Herr Hitler's action in sending their menfolk to assist General Franco. It is learned that the police three weeks ago charged crowds who were demonstrating in the streets of Dussel dorf, and efforts to suppress this news proved futile. Similar occurrences are rumoured in Berlin, Munich and elsewhere. SPAIN APOLOGISES. BOMBS NEAR ROYAL OAK. (Received 12.30 p.m.) VALENCIA, February 8. The Government has apologised to Britain for the bombing of the battleship Royal Oak. It admitted that five bombs were mistakenly dropped in her vicinity. Britain does not contemplate further action.