GREECE ASSURED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 86, 13 April 1939, Page 11

GREECE ASSURED.

ITALIAN PROMISE.

Territorial Integrity Will Be Respected.

ATHENS RETURNS THANKS.

United Press Association.—Copyright,

(Received 11 a.m.)

LOXDOX, April 12. It is reported from Athens that a semi-official version of the Italian assurances to Greece reads: "Italy confirms her intention to respect absolutely Greece's territorial integrity. Italy wishes to maintain and further develop the cordial friendship binding Italy and Greece, and is willing to give concrete proof of this desire."

The Greek Prime Minister, General Metaxas, sent a message to the Italian Foreign Office thanking Signor Mussolini for his categorical assurances in lespect to the territorial and maritime frontiers of Greece.

He said lie was completely satisfied with Signor Mussolini's assurances and convinced that no developments to disturb the traditional friendship between Italy and Greece would possibly arise. He sees the beginning of a new period of cordiality resulting from a continuation of this collaboration.

An earlier Hungarian report from Budapest, however, says King George of Greece is reported to have signed a decree, -which has not yet been published, declaring a state of emergency and calling up ten classes of reservists. The decree will be proclaimed in event of an emergency.

The "Daily Express" says the Rumanian Foreign Minister, Dr. Gafencu, signed an agreement at Ankara under which Turkey agrees to open the Dardanelles for the passage of foreign warships going to the assistance of Rumania.

SUMMER SCHEDULE.

Speeding Up Air Services To Australia. SYDNEY JUST OVER 9 DAYS. (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, April 12. Imperial Airways' accelerated summer services will operate from April 16. 'Planes leave for Australia on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, restoring the two-day schedule to Basra and three days to Calcutta and Sourabaya, thus bringing Sydney within 9 days 2£ hours, with night stops. The homeward route will be via the Calcutta, Karachi and Basra schedule, which will occupy 9 days 14 hours.

AIR FORCE "RAID."

WINDSOR CASTLE ATTACK.

(Received 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 12. The Air Force "raided" Windsor Castle. Their Majesties, the. Duke and Duchess of Kent and the Princesses went into bombproof shelters when the sirens sounded. The King later watched decontamination squads.

STANDARD BOMBERS. SERIES OF CRASHES IN U.S.A. WASHINGTON, April 12. Only two machines —a Stearman and a Glenn Martin —remain out of four secret bombers which have been undergoing tests for the selection of a standard type for the United States Government's air expansion programme. A 500,000-dollar twin-engined aeroplane entered by the North American Aviation Company crashed yesterday and was destroyed by fire. The pilot was killed. The Douglas entry crashed in January, precipitating an inquiry by Congress because a French Air Ministry official was on board.

GAOL FOR SMUGGLING.

AMERICAN SOCIETY WOMAN.

NEW YORK, April 12.

A society woman, Mrs. Lauer, was sentenced to-day to three months' imprisonment and fined 2500 dollars for smuggling. She was also placed on probation for on- year. The Court strongly rebuked defendant and said she would have been sentenced to a longer term, in spite of her social position, except for the state of her health. She must go to gaol because she was a second offender.

ROYAL IRAN WEDDING.

BRITAIN REPRESENTED. British Official Wireless. RUGBY, April 12. The Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice left London yesterday for Teheran, where the Earl is to represent the King at the civil wedding of the Crown Prince of Iran.