PACIFIC SITUATION

Grey River Argus, 24 July 1942, Page 4

PACIFIC SITUATION

Position of N.Z.

MR FRASER’S CONFERENCE IN AUSTRALIA (Rec. 8.15) LONDON, July 23. The “Daily Telegraph’’ has an editorial referring to the conference of Mr Fraser, Mr Curtin and General MacArthur. It says: It is well understood throughout the Allied countries that Australia and New Zealand are both menaced as long as Japan holds air bases near their shores. Yet there is solid ground for confidence, which Mr Curtin has recently avowed, and for Dr Evatt’s judgment that the Pacific situation has materially improved during the past three oi- four months. The editorial recalls Mr Churchhill's watchword is now attack.

It concludes: Japan must, be expected to attempt an anticipation of any Allied forward movement. But the challenge in the Pacific now comes, not from the Tokio warlords, but from a central direction of the strength of the United Nations. U.S. OUTPOSTS 9 TO BE STRENGTHENED (Rec. 8.50) WASHINGTON, July 23. The House of Representatives has passed and sent to the Senate an Appropriations Bill authorising 974 million dollars for naval shore facilities. Mr Vinson said thirty million dollars was for a kind of secret training and a kind of secret weapon. The Bill authorised a large expansion of the bases in the Alaska, Panama and Pacific Island outposts. WASHINGTON, July 22. Discussions at to-day’s meeting of the Pacific War Council largely concerned China, and the possibility of a Japanese thrust against SiberiaMr. Nash said: We workeu out the procedure to be followed to ensure that China puts up the best light possible. Now we know what China needs and how to get material from this country. RUGBY, July 22. The Financial Secretary to the War Office said: There is little reliable information about the treatment of British prisoners of war by the Japanese. Such reports as had come from Honv Kong confirmed that the atrocities occurred at the time of the surrender. While these apparently ceased shortly afterwards, there is little doubt that for the first few months, the prisoners suffered acutely from lack of medical attention, and there was an outbreak of dysentery and beriberi. Food in the early months was of poor quality. However. the conditions after a time improved, as the Jananese medical services were organised. Information about Singapore was even more scanty, but the evidence that reached us has suggested that for the greater nart of this period. tlie treatment of Singapore prisoners had been more tolerable than at Hong