WAR NEWS IN BRIEF

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 May 1943, Page 6

WAR NEWS IN BRIEF

CONVICTION APPEAL

LONDON, May 18.

Sir Percy Laurie appealed to the London Sessions against his conviction in the Bow Street Court in April -on a charge of furnishing information y.’alse in a material particular for the purpose of the Rationing Order, on •which ho had been fined £5O, with 35 guineas costs. The Court quashed the conviction and allowed him 50 guineas costs. The Court also allowed appeals against penalties of £250. on each charge of having failed to deliver his ration book,, that his possession of it was unauthorised, and of having used his ration book otherwise than in accordance with the Rationing Order. The Court reduced the fines to £25 each.

Sir Percy Laurie, in evidence, said he had not the .slightest idea he had done anything wrong in holding a civilian ration card or that rations had been drawn on that card while he was away. GIRAUD'S AUTFIORITY.

RUGBY, May 18

The Deputy-Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee) said in the House of Commons that French North Africa was at present being administered by a French civil ancl military high command, under General Giraud, at Algiers. subject to certain powers which the Allied Commander-in-Chief possessed in virtue of an arrangement concluded with the local French authorities at the time of the Allied landings. Any alteration of arrangements would presumably be a matter of discussion between the panics concerned. General de Gaulle was not yet associated with the French High Command in North Africa.