PREMIER LEAVES SPAIN FOR FRANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 33, 9 February 1939, Page 11

PREMIER LEAVES SPAIN FOR FRANCE.

NARROW ESCAPE.

All-Day Meeting in BombProof Dungeon. POWDER STORE BLOWS UP. United ITe™ Copyright. (Uccnlvcl It n . nii)

LO.VDO.V, February 8

A Prrpipnan message states that M n result of the rebel occupation of Figi;crn*, Dr. Xon-rin, Prime Minister, tmd his entire General Staff proceeded t<. France. Tin- blowing up ol" I lie powder magazine in Kigiu-nn eitiulel broke up Dr. Xcirrin's eutili renee with the (Jeiieral St.-iIV, which hud lasted all tiny m a bomb pruiil' dmiL-cHii. The explosion wreekeil neiiiby Ikmi.-cs and was heard \> 111 I Irs I! w;| V. Dr. Ni-urin and hi* followers were welcomed ill the frontier I. v French military ollicial* mid accorded ;i of li'.in.iir. Dr. Negrin looked buck as h« crossed (he lionler iinil gave a clenched li-l salute. tt is ix'licM'.l that if Dr. Negrin i* unable to "ii to Valencia, the initiative f"r peace in t ions will |>nss to General Miiija, coniiiiniKler at Madrid. The rebel* me expected to enter Pnigrerda. to-morrow. The garrison niul civil authorities have gone to Friinee. Twelve thousand Loyalists are concentrated in tlie mendows >it Bonrgmadanie under a strong French guard. Thousands lit Roiirgmadamc watched rehel aviators machine-gunning the remnants of the retreating divisions [struggling to the frontier. French batteries tired in warning when the 'plane* neared the border. Rebels Capture 40 Villages. The rebels made a final effort to overwhelm Catalonia. They captured 40 villages and advanceil 18 miles. General Franco has appealed to Basques throughout Fiance to return to Spain. He lias promised religious and language freedom, and economic and social benefits. A Toulouse message says 2000 Catalan soldier* luive gone to Hendaye to join the rebels. Over 1.10,000 fugitives from Spain have crossed the French frontier, and 1.10.000 more are toiling toward France over the mountain passes. They are protected by six royalist divisions, which are under orders to hold out for two days, after which they may seek refuge across the border. The last, of the Government artillery from the Seo de I'rgel sector, with HMM) men. entered France today, and were interned. It is wrong to suppose that the Loyalists are fleeing pell-mell from the enemy, inasmuch as the tanks, troops and gunners remaining in their possession are. the cream of the Government armies. They will cover the retreat iv< long a» their weapons and munitions hold out.