SIX MISSIONARIES EXPELLED BY ITALY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 84, 10 April 1937, Page 9

SIX MISSIONARIES EXPELLED BY ITALY.

FROM ABYSSINIA.

All Non-Catholics May Have to Go.

STRONG BRITISH ACTION

Cnited Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, April 9. No reasons were given for the expulsion of six British missionaries from Abyssinia, according to the "NewsChronicle." Two have reached London, and the others are in Jibouti. It is alleged that the Italians shot three of the mission's leading Ethiopian converts and banished between 40 and 50 students to various towns and villages. The British Ambassador to Rome, Sir Eric Drummond, will take up strongly with the Italian Government the expulsion of the missionaries, states a British official wireless message. They were ordered, on March 22, to leave within eight days. Possible banishment of all nonCatholic missionaries from Abyssinia is foreshadowed by Signor Virgin io Gay da, editor of "lie Giornale d'ltalia," and regarded as Signor Mussolini's Press mouthpiece. He accuses Protestant missionaries of espionage, adding that "all will be revealed as spies or agents in shady businesses."

It is officially announced that the Republic of Panama has recognised the Italian Empire.

It is stated in Italian military circles that Signor Mussolini lias decided that Air Marshal Italo Balbo, who fell from favour owing to differences with II Duce in 1933 and was sent to be Governor of Libya, is to replace Marshal Graziani. who was severely wounded in the recent bomb-throwing incident in Addis Ababa, as Viceroy of Ethiopia. It is reported that Signor Aehille Starace, SecretaryGeneral of the Fascist party, will replace Marshal Balbo as Governor of Libya.