DECISION TO FIGHT WAS IN THE BALANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 90, 16 April 1940, Page 7

DECISION TO FIGHT WAS IN THE BALANCE.

NORWEGIAN CABINET. Resignation Refused By King Haakon. incidents turned scale. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON", April 15. Norway's decision to fight was for some time in the balance, says the Stockholm correspondent of the „ ews Chronicle," when King Haakon refused to accept the Government's resignation. . Government had asked the Stort(Parliament) for powers to nego-1 fiate an agreement with Germany. Three, negotiators were appointed to go to Oslo, when the news came of how a iandful of Norwegian soldiers had repulsed German soldiers pursuing King Haakon. Meanwhile the puppet Government aad been created. These incidents turned the scale, and Norway decided to fight. French Support Assured. M. Lebrun, French President, has sent a message to King Haakon assuring him °' France's most complete assistance. King Haakon has issued a proclamation appealing to Norwegians to save the freedom and independence of the Fatherland, savs another message from Stockholm. The proclamation says: "Our powerful antagonist has not refrained from bombing- our peaceful people in cities and towns. Women and children have Men subjected to death and inhuman sufferings. "I cannot tell you where I, the Crown Prince and the Government are stayln n- German forces directed a violent attack against us while we were stayin a small, unfortified and unpro-

tected place. High explosive and incendiary bombs and machine-gun fire were used against civilians in a most ruthless and brutal manner. Our assailants could only have one motive—to annihilate all of us who had assembled to decide questions for the best future of Norway." The Norwegian Government has informed Britain that German airmen evidently have been instructed to bomb King Haakon personally, because they are attacking every place at which he stays.