JAPANESE RAIDS ON SHIPPING

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23946, 13 May 1943, Page 5

JAPANESE RAIDS ON SHIPPING

ATTACK FAILS OFF ARNHEM LAND ALLIES BOMB RABAUL AERODROME (N.Z. Press Assoclaticn—Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 12. Japanese air activity continues over northern Australia. Following close on their attack on Allied shipping near Millingimbi Island, reported in General MacArthur’s communique on Tuesday, three enemy float-planes have attempted to attack ships off Cape Wessel, the easternmost tip of Arnhem Land. No damage was done to the ships and a single Beaufighter shot down one of the float-planes. Flying Fortresses and Liberators battled through heavy weather to make a raid before dawn on Vunakanau aerodrome, at Rabaul, on Tuesday, starting fires which were visible for 60 miles. A series of fires in the dispersal areas suggested burning enemy aircraft. In daylight, Bostons bombed and machine-gunned the building area at Arawe. on the south coast of New Britain, and the aerodrome at Cape Gloucester, on the north-west coast. In New Guinea Allied aircraft are maintaining their attacks on Madang. A Liberator on reconnaissance over Alexishafen. 11 miles north of Madang, found a group of barges in Sek harbour and machine-gunned them, with unstated results. Alexishafen was for many years the centre of Roman Catholic mission activities in northeast New Guinea, and it has a fine cathedral, technical school, and a training farm for natives. Thwarted in their attempts to move large convoys to the north New Guinea coast, the Japanese are sneaking single ships into harbours and distributing the cargoes to other supply centres by using power barges which keep close to the coast for protection. Nine Japanese bombers which were over Merauke, the Allied base on the south New Guinea coast, caused some damage and casualties. The Mappi river post, which was raided by Japanese aeroplanes on Monday, is about 100 miles north of Merauke. In New Guinea the land fighting round Mubo has intensified. Clashes between the opposing forward elements have been reported in the Green's Hill area. A spokesman at Allied Headquarters said that enemy casualties in these clashes wore believed to have been severe.

U.S. AIR ATTACKS IN SOLOMONS

(Rcc. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 11. The United States Navy Department says: “In the Pacific on May 10 a force of Dauntless and Avenger aircraft, es. corted by Corsairs, Wildcats, and Liberators, attacked Japanese installations at Munda, in the Solomons. Hits were scored on enemy anti-aircraft positions and several fires were started. Similar attacks were made on Japanese positions at Vangavanga, on the south-west coast of Kolombangara 'lsland. All the United States aeroplanes returned safely.”

JAPANESE CITIZENS OF AMERICA

TRANSFER FROM CAMPS TO INDUSTRY (Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 11. American citizens of Japanese descent who have spent nearly a year In re-location camps after their removal from the west coast, are now being systematically moved into essential jobs, even in war industries, according to a report of the United States Office of War Information. Investigations are being made into the behaviour and attitude of all males In the camps. Those regarded as satisfactory are entitled to resume normal life when they obtain employment. An investigation is also being made in the communities where those released propose to live, in order to ensure that their presence does not result in disturbances or danger to the Japanese themselves. The Senate Military Affairs Committee has approved a sub-committee): recommendation for the prompt abolition of all the 10 re-location centres, which were described as troublebreeders. The sub-committee was told that the War Department would not oppose the return to the Pacific coast of special categories of Japanese, such as the wives and children of JapaneseAmerican soldiers, but the War Department thought a general resettlement of Japanese on the coast would be unwise.

FRANCOS SPEECH ON PEACE

MR EDEN’S COMMENT 18.0. W.) RUGBY, May 11 The Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden) was asked in the House of Commons if the Government’s attention had been drawn to General Franco’s speech offering mediation. Mr Eden replied: "I can only repeat what President Roosevelt said some time ago that we are not really interested in any attempt at mediation and that our terms are unconditional surrender.”

FIVE U-BOATS SUNK

NEW WEAPON USED IN ATLANTIC BATTLE (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 11. One of five submarines sunk in a battle in the Atlantic was sunk bv a new weapon, according to an announcement from Washington. Last Thursday a pack of German submarines attacked a west-bound convoy, but the enemy soon found themselves on the defensive. Five of the submarines were sunk, others were damaged, and it is improbable that they would reach their bases. Prisoners were taken, Two of the submarines were rammed, a third blew up after heavy shell fire, a fourth was destroyed with depth charges, and the fifth by the new weapon.

CANADIAN EXPORTS OF WAR SUPPLIES

(Rec. 8 p.m.) OTTAWA, May 12. “Canada, under the gjft-to-Brltain arrangement made last year, gave Britain 689,000,000 dollars’ worth of munitions and 311,000,000 dollars’ worth of foodstuffs and raw materials, but actual shipments during the gift period totalled 1,440.000.000 dollars," said the Canadian Finance Minister (Mr J. L. Ilsley) in the House of Commons. “Of the shipments to Britain, supplies valued at 61,000,000 dollars were shipped to Russia, including tanks, armoured vehicles, shells, ammunition, and base metals. An additional 71,000.000 dollars’ worth of mechanical transport was transferred to New Zealand, Australia, and other parts of the sterling area.” National Insurance.—National insurance, covering every person in Australia. irrespective of income, has been advocated by the conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce. The suggested scheme would include sickness, accident, unemployment, and old-age benefits, as well as Invalid and widows’ pensions, and contributions would be made by the Government, employers, and employees in proportions to be decided on—Sydney, May 12.