MUCH ACTIVITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 229, 28 September 1938, Page 12

MUCH ACTIVITY.

FRANCE PREPARES.

Residents Strongly Advised to

Leave Towns.

TRANSFER OP GOVERNMENT.

United Press Association.—Copyright.

LONDON, September 27.

French Government Departments, says a correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian," are feverishly busy in evacuating Paris. It is estimated that 500.000 persons have already left on their own initiative.

Trenches and shelters are being dng all ovar the city. There are '.ong queues at the banks, but no panic; people are drawing money only for current needs. Withdrawals from the savings banks are necessary owing to the departure of reservists.

Reports from the Franco-German frontier indicate that tension is high and frontier towns are "blacked out" at night.

Jew refugees from Central Europe met at Lille and pledged themselves to stand by the Freneh nation and to prove their gratitude by defending the country.

Preparations have also been made for transferring the Government to south-western France. No more than 900,000 people are expected to remain in Paris itself.

Banks and businesses have made full arrangements to transfer their head offices to towns in the south-west of France. The more valuable paintings in the Louvre are being removed to bombproof shelters. M. Herriot has appealed to everyone in Lyons to leave for the country.

During last night and this morninj; further men were called up according to individual qualifications.

HOPE IN GERMANY.

Belief in Peaceful Settlement

Held by Public.

BERLIN PRESS ATTITUDE.

(Received 3 p.m.) LONDON, September 27,

The Berlin Press makes no reference to Mr. Chamberlain's early morning appeal or the statement of the solidarity of France, Britain and Russia. Comment is devoted entirely to J!i?rr Hitler's Godesberg memorandum and speech, which caused the public to hope and believe that the problem may be solved peacefully by October 1 based on Herr Hitler's statement that Germany is only concerned with the Sudetens.

At Rome Herr Hitler's speech is regarded as a constructive and responsible effort for peace. The demand for the withdrawal of Czech troops is justified on the ground that Herr Hitler is willing to accept international control pending the ensuing plebiscite.

In Budapest semi-official circles firmly expect a peaceful solution.

PREVENT WAR. German People Asked to Restrain Government. LABOUR COUNCIL MESSAGE. (Received 3 p.m.) LONDON, September 27. The .British National Council of Labour sent a message to the German people urging them to restrain their Government from plunging Europe again into the horrors of a wholesale slaughter on issues capable of peaceful adjustment.

It is understood that certain steps have been taken to ensure the message reaching the German people. OWN DEFENCE ONLY. Australian Labour View of War Policy. KEEP OUT OF EUROPE. ( CANBERRA, September 27. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. J. Curtin, announced to-day the Federal Labour party's attitude on war as follows:— Concentration on Australia's own defence; no participation in any European war. "Our security may be more menaced than hitherto," he s*. ; d. "Therefore our whole resources must be available for our own defence. "This meaps, clearly and unequivocally, that whatever else we may do as a Dominion of the British Commonwealth of Nations, no men must be sent out of Australia to participate in another war oversea*."