ENEMY IN NEW GUINEA

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24306, 11 July 1944, Page 5

ENEMY IN NEW GUINEA

HARASSING ALLIED ATTACKS" ■: i SURVIVORS OP THREE V, divisions {Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A,V(Rec, 11 p.m.) ! SYDNEY,' July 10. ; ■ Throughout the entire New Guinea-■ d theatre the remnants of once' power* ful Japanese formations are being'relentlessly harassed ■; by -A naval, air, and land forces; The plight of- the survivors of three enemy divis*. . ions trapped in British New ; ;Guinea. % becomes increasingly grave t under „ ,v. , daily attacks by Royal Australian Alt - ;■ Force and American aeroplanes. ■ 'VThe supplies of (these beleaguered "j; Japanese troops, estimated to number between 30,000 to 40,000, are being . v steadily reduced by attriupnal bomb*; ing raids, more of which 'are an-, nounced by General MacArthur’a '. 5 latest communique. , Away to the west in Dutch, New. Guinea a further 213 Japanese have. /.v been killed by the Americans mopping / up on Biak Island. This brings' the . total enemy casualties on Biak since the Americans landed there on May 27 to 3268. . . The Japanese on Biak fought much more stubbornly than those on .the . neighbouring island of NoeinfbOr.. Here tactically strong 'positions were abandoned without a struggle and the enemy garrison which capitulated in ; five days appeared to lack leadership. ' ’ Many Japanese on Noemfoor, as well as on Biak, committed harikiri with either, pistols dr grenades. Allied night fighters on Biak shot down one of two enemy aeroplanes which made separate attacks on Thursday night. Allied fighters retaliated by making a surprise strafing raid on Moemi airfield on the western side of Geelvink Bay on Friday. They caused many casualties among enemy personnel CHANGES IN EASTERN ASIA FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON. July 10. The Vice-President (Mr Henry A. Wallace) has reached Seattle after seven weeks in China and Siberia. He said that great changes had occurred in eastern Asia in the last 20 years. The United States. Britain, and Russia would have a profound interest in the area's rapid and peaceful change to a more fruitful use of the natural and human resources. Mr Wallace said he was convinced that China and Russia would take the necessary steps to ensure continuing peace and to promote cultural and commercial exchanges among the Pacific nations for the common benefit. He added that there was no foreseeable likelihood of conflict within China or between China and Russia. Mr Wallace noted great differences between China and Soviet Asia. He said that the Chinese were anxious to enter the machine age % but industry must first be modernised and the people trained. Industrialisation was dependent on Agrarian reform since China was predominantly a nation of farmers. The Chinese were good farmers but they needed a new dea*. American War Loan.—Although the fifth war loan closed with the total largely oversubscribed, sales to individuals lagged all over the country. Corporations furnished 12,400,000,000 dollars which far exceeded their quota while individuals provided 4,251,000,000 dollars, which was only 71 per cent, of their quota.—New York. July 8. Royal Tribute to Seamen.—The King has sent,a message paying tribute to the work of the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy. The message was read in an appeal by the Minister of War Transport (l/ird Leathers!., or. behalf of King George’s .Fund for Seamen.— London, July 9. A I t