STILL INACTIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 306, 28 December 1939, Page 7

STILL INACTIVE.

WESTERN FRONT.

Christmas Quiet Prolonged

By Winter Fogs.

GERMANS' COMPLAINT.

(deceived nootj

LONDON, December 22.

Fog, cold and semi-visibility have prolonged the Christmas quiet on the Western Front. Aerial activity has been at a standstill on both sides. The French official morning communique states: "There has been nothing of importance to report during the night." The Berlin morning communique states that except for feeble enemy artillery fire the front was quiet. The Berlin official news agency complains that the Allies' military operations frequently disturbed the Christmas peace, "upsetting the Christmas mood of the German troops, who made every effort to keep the peace and avoided activity conducive to fighting, but enemy patrols repeatedly forced the adoption of the offensive."

SPENDING £500,000.

Y.M.C.A. CENTRES AT FRONT.

(Received noon.)

RUGBY, December 27.

The Y.M.C.A. expects to have spent £500,000 before the end of February on the establishment and equipment of "red triangle" centres for the B.E.F. in France. The initiative has the approval of the Army Council and of Viscount Gort, V.C.

HEAVY JAP. LOSSES.

Chinese Claim Successful

Attacks.

MAJOR DRIVE NOT STARTED.

CHUNGKING, December 27.

The Chinese Government has announced that simultaneous Chinese attacks on all fronts cost the Japanese 100,000 casualties between December 1 and Christmas Day, including 43 800 killed. The spokesman stated that the major drive to disrupt Japanese communications has not yet started. He added that attacks on the Yangtse River during the year resulted in an average loss of two Japanese ships per week.

SERIOUS POSITION.

Acute Food Shortage In

Japanese Cities.

"T PRICES SOARING.

TOKYO, December 21. Japanese farmers must now sell their rice to the Government. This is the nrst time in Japan's history that such a decree has been made. It is taken to indicate how serious is the food position in the cities. Prices are soaring, yet the shops will sell only the most meagre portions of rice, charcoal and other necessities. In many places butter, eggs and milk are available .only to invalids and infants. Gas is rationed. Costly charcoal-gas generators were recently installed in city buses to replace petrol. Now services are being curtailed, because of the high cost of charcoal.

Bath houses are going out of business at the rate of three a day. Japanese people ask little, but insist upon their daily rice and nightly bath.