IS JAPAN COMING AGAIN ?

Grey River Argus, 24 November 1942, Page 5

IS JAPAN COMING AGAIN ?

IN THE SOLOMONS. ♦ BIGGER RISKS NOW. (Rec. 5.5.) SYDNEY, Nov. 23. American commentators are lengthening their original estimate of three weeks as the minimum time which Japan will need to organise fresh attacks on the Southern Solomon Islands. The commentators point out, that when Japan moves again, she must do so in tremendous strength, as ,- then another’ defeat might be disastrous. The Solomons campaign is considered to have shown that Japan must either hazard her naval strength in outposts, or else lose her positions by default. Thus Japan is committed to a policy which seems likely to destroy her naval power. Informed observers believe that only one factor can tip the scale of Pacific sea war in Japan’s favour. That is the element of fortune, or of unforsee'n. circumstances. This element can never be ruled out of military strategy. But fortune, which favoured Japan at Pearl Harbour and on many subsequent occasions, has a wav of distributing her favours, of which the enemy has already had more than a fair share U.S. NAVAL HOSPITAL. IN NEW ZEALAND. WASHINGTON, Nov. 21. Reference to the construction of a naval hospital in New Zealand was made by Rear-Admiral Young at a press conference held by the Secretary of the Navy (Colonel Frank. Knox). Rear-Admiral Young sa'id the hospital, which would accommodate several hundred patients, was built in 29 days. AUCKLAND, Nov. 22.

Generous praise of the valour and heroism of the officers and men of the American forces was paid by the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) when he visited an American naval hospital on Saturday. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Mrs. Fraser and by four Auckland members of Parliament, Messrs C. R. Petrie; W. T. Anderton, A. G. Osborne, and A. S. Richards. . .

On arrival at the hospital, the visitors were welcomed by the medical officer in command (Captain J. H. Robbins), who expressed his appreciation of the New Zealand workers who had assisted in the erection oi the hospital and who had worked alongside his own men. “The new Zealanders were right with us all the time,” he said, “and with their cooperation our mission was accomplished in time. They worked tong hours and overtime, and often nad ba'd weather to work in.” When the tour was completed, Mr. Fraser spoke over the sound system which connects all the hospital. He said he wanted to express his great pleasure at what he had seen. “It is an honour,” he said, “to have shaken hands with men who have fought on Guadalcanal’, and Tulagi, some on ships which were sunk under them. We honour the work of the Americans. which was as courageous as anything in the world.”