NEW OFFENSIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 45, 23 February 1937, Page 7

NEW OFFENSIVE.

LOYALIST ATTACK.

Oviedo Surrounded and Suburbs

Entered.

MADRID STILL UNCAPTURED

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 11.30 a.m.) LOXDOX, February 22. The Spanish Government claims to have launched a renewed offensive in Oviedo. Loyalist troops have surrounded the city, penetrated the suburbs and captured the power station.. The well-known journalist, Mr. Vernon Bartlett, who has returned to Madrid, writing to the "Xews Chronicle," savs: "The Republicans greet the first day of the general l>a* on foreign volunteers sceptically. They fear that many more Italians and (Jermans will arrive to swell the insurgent forces. Xe\ertheless, I was impressed bv the immense potential man power in the hands of the Government. The youn<* men defending the Republican trenches ha\e developed a sense of discipline of which there was no sign when I was in Madrid last October. <>eneral Miaja, in an interview, said lie could easily put 25,000 more welltrained men in the field if rifles and machine-guns were available. Madrid is not so near capture as many people think. The Republicans should be victorious if the Government's organising capacity and the people's discipline survive the test of the coming week, for the spirit of Madrid remains amazing." BRITAIN'S SHARE. Will pay 16 per cent of Cost of Supervision. » BRITISHERS IK CHARGE. (Received 1.30 p.m.) j LOXDOX, February 22. Britain has agreed to pay 16 per cent of the cost of the Spanish non-inter-vention control scheme, which is a substantial contribution considering that 27 countries are parties to the agreement. The scheme provides for the appointment of two chief agents. It is believed both will be British, one to work on the Franco-Spanish frontier, and the other on the Portuguese frontier. The director of the scheme will also be British, with headquarters in London.

The British frontier agents will be former naval men and ex-Customs officials. FURTHER MEETING. NON-INTERVENTION PLAN. British Official Wireless. (Received 12 noon.) RUGBY, February 22. Thl Earl of Plymouth's sub-committee of the Internationa] Non-intervention Committee met at the Foreign Office. The committee was expected to discuss final details of the scheme for supervision in Spain, including the allocation of zones among the navies of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Russia. Further information might also be available for the committee regarding discussions between British and Portuguese representatives respecting special provisions for observation of the Portuguese frontier. A message from Moscow savs the Soviet has banned all enlistments abroad, including those of troops for Spain.