WAR NEWS IN BRIEF

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 August 1940, Page 5

WAR NEWS IN BRIEF

MR. CHURCHILL’S SPEECH.

[by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, August 18.

The “Sunday Times” political correspondent says: It is understood that Mr. Churchill, when he makes a statement in the House of Commons on Tuesday, about 3 p.m. G.M.T., on the war situation, and especially in the East, including Somaliland, intends also to deal with the controversy about the alleged impending famine in the German occupied territories. He will explain the Government’s refusal to relax the -contraband control. He may also refer to Mr. Roosevelt’s announcement in reference to British bases in the Western Hemisphere. KENYA AMBULANCE. RUGBY, August 17. Amongst recent gifts received by the British Government is that of funds for an ambulance which will be given to the War Office by residents of the Naivasha district of Kenya. The district has subscribed 245,000 shillings to the Kenya War Welfare Fund. This sum will be appropriated for the purchase of one ambulance for the War Office, and two for use in Kenya. LIVING COSTS HIGHER RUGBY, August 17. The cost of living index figure showed a slight fall on August 1, when the index figure was 85 points above the level of July, 1914, compared with 87 at July 1. The fall of two points is equivalent to about one per cent. For food alone the index figure on August 1 was 14 above July, 1914, showing a fall of four points, or about two and a-half per cent, since July 1, when the figure was 68 points above July, 1914. The decline in the index figures is due to a sharp fall in the prices of new potatoes, which had been exceptionally high at the beginning of July. Among other items covered by the index figures, eggs increased in price during July. The prices of tobacco and cigarettes were raised as the result of the additional duties provided by the Budget. KING INSPECTS TROOPS RUGBY, August 17. The King yesterday inspected troops of the Southern Command and talked at length with an officer, two non-coms., and seven men who are the sole survivors of a battalion-of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, after the memorable Calais stand. The battalion has now been reformed and fully trained. POLISH WORKERS. BERLIN, August 18. ..The Germans are releasing all Polish prisoners of war, 90 per cent, of whom have accepted agricultural work in Germany. The remainder are working in trade and industry.