TO-DAY’S NEWS IN BRIEF

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22676, 3 April 1939, Page 8

TO-DAY’S NEWS IN BRIEF

r; OVERSEAS ■ ■ : HITLER’S SPEECH In a speech at the launching of the new battleship. Admiral von Tirpitz, at Wil- ’< helmshavcn. Herr Hitler said Germany "would not be a subservient slave to Brli,. tain and France, and was prepared to ex- ; ert her utmost powers” if the other na- , ' lions continued to rearm. He made no specific mention of Poland in the speech. : f' -j BRITAIN’S PI.EDGE TO POLAND I Mr Chambeilain announced that the Cabinet had decided to pledge British support to Poland in the event of unprovoked aggression. This pledge is to apply during an interim period to be determined by the result of the consulta- , lions with other Powers at present In progress in London. It is reported that when the Polish . Foreign Minister (Colonel Beck) visits London this week the points for discussion ■ will include a mutual defence agreement, a British loan of £20.000.000. emigration of i Polish Jews to Empire countries, and the future of Danzig. ’ AN INTERRUPTED BROADCAST A broadcast of Herr Hitler's speech ' which was to have been transmitted to the United States, was cut off the air after . only 42 words had been spoken. The interruption was first attributed to a landline defect, none of which has occurred ' since 1933, but the authorities blamed operatives for the mistake in stopping the ; transmission. t THE BOAT RACE Cambridge won the boat race by four lengths in IDmin 3scc. Conditions were perfect. The Oxford crew was described ' as over-trained, but the Cambridge eight • finished extremely fresh. SERIES OF BOMB EXPLOSIONS A series of bomb explosions, which . caused serious damage, gave London residents a night of terror. The bombs were thrown from a powerful car which toured the streets. One live bomb was picked ; Up by a constable, who removed the fuse. DEFAULTER’S SUCCESS In his first appearance in Australia, Defaulter won the Chipping Norton Plate , at Warwick Farm on Saturday. The Syd- ■ nev "Sunday Sun” describes Defaulter’s r debut as that of a great three-year-old, i rivalling Phar Lap. NEW ZEALAND MEDICAL BENEFITS The Government's proposals concerning the introduction and operation of the medical and allied benefits provided for under part 3 of the Social Security Act. 1938, are outlined In a statement accompanying a circular sent to all medical practitioners by the Minister for Health(the Hon. P. Fraser). It Is emphasised that the details are for the most part provisional, and are set out to provide a basis for, and a means of, facilitating negotiations. Mr P. Stanley Foster, president of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, stated In Wellington that Christchurch doctors agreed substantially with those in Taranaki who are understood to be unanimously opposed to the the scheme. He said that all divisions of ■ the branch In New Zealand were considering proposals put forward by the Government. The difficulty was that the Government expected the doctors to enter into a contract, but the doctors did not yet have any Idea of what that contract was. EMERGENCY REGULATIONS Notice to masters of British ships about the -organisation that has been built up for the transmission of messages in a time of crisis was gazetted In New Zealand last week. The notice refers to the possibility of certain parts having- to be closed, and to the conduct to be followed in such cases. The regulations are a reprint of Admiralty notices. DRIED FRUIT FACTORY A new industry wlll.be begun In New Zealand with the opening in June of a . factory for the processing and packing °t dried fruits. The factory Is being established by a New South Wales firm, and It is hoped that in time It will supply the whole of the Dominion’s requirements. The site Is on Western Hutt road. Petone. MINISTER'S VISIT TO AMERICA, The Hon. F. Langstone, Minister In Charge of State Forests, will spend some time In the United States and Canada on his way to the International Labour Conference at . Geneva. 1 He will Inspect the work or the .New Zealand Tourist and Publicity Department on the Pacific Coast. In New York, and in Canada. He will also study afforestation methods.. BAWARDEN agricultural show The annual show of the Hawarden Agricultural and PastoraJ Association was held on Saturday. Entries in the more im-portanl-jectiona of stock showed a decided increase and the attendance was the best on record. GRASS FIRE-AT PICTON . . acr cs of hillsides towards the back ()t Plcton were swept - yesterday by a grass lire, which for some time defied the efforts of the Plcton Fire Brigade. On several occasions the fire threatened houses and property on the outskirts of the town itself, and for some time the direction eff the fire was towards the hospital grounds, but was stopped on the edge of the re-