SHIPPING LOSSES

Evening Star, Issue 23745, 28 November 1940, Page 10

SHIPPING LOSSES

BRITAIN'S SESiOUS POSITION MOOT MAKE UP DEFICIENCY Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, November 26. “ I am not going to hide the fact that the rate at which we are building ships does not make up for the losses,” declared the Minister of Shipping, Mr Ronald Cross, in a broadcast. He said: “ The losses have gr.own from an average of 20,000 tons a week during the inactive first part of the war to 60,000 tons after June. Our shipyards are working their utmost, but a very large part of their activity must be given up to naval construction. Many yards, instead of building ships, are engaged on repairs. We are most anxious to get more ships built overseas, and are looking primarily to United States shipyards. We must have ships, and the issues depending on our having enough ships are so tremendous that we cannot make oversure of the shipping position, in the months and years which may pass before victory.” AUSTRALIANS IN NEW ZEALAND ALLEGATION OF RED TAPE SYDNEY, November 27. A carpenter, J. M. M‘Lean, the first Australian allowed to leave New Zealand after the overseas passenger emergency regulations were gazetted, said: “ I have been two months fighting ofimialdom and red tape to get back to Sydney. It takes a couple of months of hard fighting to secure a permit to leave. All the Australians who secure permits have to leave by January 31, but it seems that some will not win their fight for permits in time to get out before the time limit expires.”

POTATO PRODUCTION FINE RESPONSE TO APPEAL LONDON, November 26. The response by farmers and smallholders to the “ grow more potatoes ” campaign not only produced a crop adequate for all human consumpion requirements in the United Kingdom, but, as revealed by the recent stocks census made by the Ministry of Food, also provided a substantial balance. Part of this extra supply is now being offered for sale by the Ministry for feeding to livestock, bringing welcome assistance to stockfeeders and reducing the demands on shipping space for imported feeding stuffs. t DUTCH EAST INDIES GIFTS OF SPITFIRES BATAVIA, November 27. (Received November 28, at 9.5 a.m.) The Netherland’s East Indies Spitfire fund continues to achieve success. In an effort to present Mr Churchill on November 30 with a number of Spitfires, already £19,000 has been collected, and it is expected that the colony will be able to remit money for at least four such planes. SUBVERSIVE ELEMENTS PUKE IN DEFENDS INDUSTRIES DIES COMMITTEE'S DECLARATION WASHINGTON, November 27. (Received November 28, at 8 a.m.) The Dies Committee made the following statement:—“The only effective measure to prevent un-uniformed troops of totalitarian Powers from stifling our defence programme through strikes and sabotage is to expel all Communists, Fascists, and Nazis from the defence industries. To permit these people to continue in positions of leadership in certain unions and in key positions in defence industries upon the assumption that they will be watched is to follow methods which have been a complete failure in the countries overrun by Stalin and Hitler.”

Mr Sumners, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said that the committee was agreed l that defence production plants must be kept open as a matter of public pclicy. CURBING " FIFTH COLUMNISTS " PRESIDENT CONVENES CONFEfIEKCE WASHINGTON, November 27. (Received November 28, at 8 a.m.) President Roosevelt invited Mr Martin Dies to attend a round table conference to discuss the curbing of “ fifth columnists.” The conference will include spokesmen for the State and Justice Department. The Dies Committee’s statement deplored the weakness of the Government’s methods of dealing with “ fifth columnists.” AMERICAN NAVAL RESERVISTS WASHINGTON, November 27. (Received November 28, at noon.) Colonel Knox announced that an additional 31,908 naval marine reservists had been notified to arrange their affairs in readiness for a call to active duty momentarily.