WAR NEWS IN BRIEF

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 May 1941, Page 8

WAR NEWS IN BRIEF

WOOL CONTROL [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, May 18. The United Kingdom wool industry is now subject to direct measures fox the concentration and reduction of production, despite the fact that rationing of raw material supplies has been a severe implement of control since the outbreak of war. Numbers of factories are being closed under a “voluntary” plan. A levy will be imposed on the surviving factories to compensate the closed firms for liabilities which cannot be met from other sources. Sales to home industries are now limited to 30 per cent, of the pre-war figure. The rayon industry has also been subjected to restrictions.

BLOCKADE RUNNERS

SANTIAGO, May 19.

The Erlangen, the fifth German ship to leave Chilean ports at the weekend, sailed for an unknown destination with a cargo of coal and cereals. One vessel sailed from Antofagasta and another, the Frankfurt, sailed from Conception. These, with two othei’ vessels, the Quito and the Bogota, which sailed earlier from Coquimbo, are apparently making an effort to run tire British blockade. HYDE PARK MUSIC. LONDON, May 18. Hyde Park was thronged by thousands of people this afternoon when massed bands of the Guards regiments played there in aid of the war distress funds. STERLING PAYMENTS. RUGBY, May 19. Payments to twelve Central American countries and States will henceforth, be made in sterling, to accounts entitled “Central American Accounts.” The Treasury announces this. These countries comprise Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatamala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama (excluding the canal zone), Salvador and Venezuela. Such accounts will only be available for payments to the sterling area except that payments may be made freely from one such Central American account to another. All exports in these countries must be paid for in sterling from the Central American account, in dollars, or in registered sterling. RUSSIA AND CHINA. CHUNGKING. May 18. The “Daily News” states that SinoSoviet authorities reached an agreement in principle for a further extension of the barter agreement, which was concluded last year, whereby the Chinese Government undertook to send raw materials to Russia in exchange for arms and ammunition.