FRANCO JOINS PACT WITH AXIS POWERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 84, 11 April 1939, Page 9

FRANCO JOINS PACT WITH AXIS POWERS.

REPORTED TERMS. Spanish Air And Sea Bases To Be Used. — I TERRITORIAL GUARANTEE. Independent Cable Service. (Received 10 a.m.) PARIS. April 10. Mine. Tabouis. the well-known diplomatic writer, in "L'Oeuvre"' states that a military pact was concluded on April 7 between General Franco. Germany. Italy and Japan. It was ' drafted in the form of a protocol interpreting the anti-Comintern Pact, and provHed: (1) All Spanish sea and air bases to i be at the disposal of the axis for !*"> months. (2) Spanish territory to be guaranteed 1 by other signatories against outside! attack. ! (3) The Spanish Army to be placed | under control of a "commission of coordination," on which all signatories will 1 be equally represented. j (4) The axis to bear the cost of con-1 structing a Spanish Maginot Line. 550 j miles behind the frontier of France and] Spain, plus a number of strategic bases.; (5) Other signatories to support General Franco's territorial claims, including Gibraltar and French Morocco. SHIP DETAINED. British Vessel With Spanish Refugees. FRENCH ACTION IN ALGERIA. (Received 11 a.m.) ORAX, April 10. The French authorities detained the British ship Standbrook after landing 2000 refugees from Alicante. It is reported that the authorities are insisting I on a guarantee of 5/ per head per day. The owners of the vessel in a statement said the responsibility for the payment rests with the International Commission. PRIVATE AUDIENCE. POPE AND SPANISH PRINCE. (Received 10 a-m.) VATICAN CITY, April 10. The Pope received in private audience Don Juan, Prince of Asturias, heir presumptive of ex-King Alfonso of Spain.