NO SHOTS FIRED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 127, 31 May 1937, Page 7

NO SHOTS FIRED.

BERLIN'S ASSERTION. " Germany Knows How to Give Proper Answer." SPANISH CRIMINALS' ACTS. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 2 p.m.) BERLIN, May 31. A German wireless broadcast states that the Deutschland casualties were »20 dead and 73 wounded. Cabinet met after Herr Hitler had conferred at Munich with Baron von Neurath, Foreign Secretary, and Admiral Raeder, naval Commander-in-Chief, all three then flying to Berlin. Marshal von Blomberg and General Goering were also present. A report subsequently issued stated: "Following a recent incident when 'Red' aeroplanes bombed British, German and Italian ships in the harbour at Majorca, killing six Italian officers, German vessels were forbidden to call there. The Deutschland belongs to the international naval control forces. Nevertheless, it was suddenly bombed between 0 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday. The ship was stationary in Ibiza Harbour and the crew were unprotected in the forecastle inasmuch as the ship was not ready for action. "A bomb fell in the middle of their quarters, and a second hit the quarterdeck, causing minor damage. The ship completely retained its fighting and navigable ability and went to Gibraltar in order to disembark the injured. She did not fire a single shot at the aeroplanes. "This fresh criminal attack after the Valencia Government has twice been warned compels Germany to take measures which will be communicated to the Non-intervention Committee. The incident is scarcely credible. Germany knows how to give a proper answer to this unheard-of provocation by Spanish criminals." A Gibraltar message adds that the injured were taken to hospital and the services of all available doctors were requisitioned. Funerals will be held on Monday. All the victims are naval ratings, and no officers were killed or wounded.

PATROL SCHEME.

BIGHTS OF NEUTRAL POWERS. British Official Wireless. (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, May 30. The chairman's sub-committee of the Non-intervention Committee will meet on Monday when it ia understood consideration will be given to possible measures for ensuring safety of naval vessels of the participating Powers engaged in patrol duties under the control scheme. The observation scheme is not recognised by the parties to the conflict, and therefore naval patrols are not entitled to use Spanish ports as bases. Such vessels, however, subject to complying with the usual formalities, enter these ports as warships of a friendly Power. Activities of the civil war necessarily create risks for neutral shipping, but the insurgent authorities have indicated safety zones in the principal ports. It is naturally expected that with or without safety zones, armed forces of both sides will take every precaution against damaging neutral shipping. A plenary session of the International Committee will take place on Tuesday, and it is anticipated the committee will then be in a position to resume discussion of the appeal to both sides in Spain for greater respect for humanitarian principles in the conduct of the war.

RAID ON BARCELONA.

REBELS' AIR SLAUGHTER. BARCELONA, May 30. Seventy-one people were killed and 100 injured in an insurgent air raid on Barcelona. Six aeroplanes participated in the raid, which lasted half an hour. The attackers circled round the city at a great height. Of those killed, 30 were in two houses. Many buildings Were shattered. Later the rebel airmen extensively bombed the neighbouring towns of Santa Barbara and Badlona, killing 60 people and wounding 50. Later the raiders returned to Barcelona and attacked the workingclass district.