CLOUDS IN BULGARIA.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2647, 16 May 1923, Page 5

CLOUDS IN BULGARIA.

MACEDONIANS RESTIVE. BOTH SIDES READY FOR WAR. FIGHT TO THE DEATH. [By Electric Cable—Copyright] [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.] (Received Tuesday, 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 14. The Sofia correspondent of "The Times," says that war is threatening in connection with the agrarian and Macedonian quarrel. The Macedonians have completely usurped the Bulgarian Government's authority in the PetritishrNevrekop district, and are taxing the people to provide themselves with munitions of war.

The Government has arrested numerous Macedonians, and has ordered a general agrarian mobilisation, 20,000 of whom will shortly be summoned to Sofia. The small voluntary army which Bulgaria possesses is being exclusively trained for action against the Macedonians. M. Mouravieff ,the Minister of War, declares: "They may kill me and the other membera of the party, but they will not alter our policy of putting an end, once and for all, to the Macedonian disturbers of the peace." It is difficult to ascertain the coun-ter-measures that Todor Alexandroff, the leader of the insurgents and his Serbian-Macedonian followers arc taking, but the correspondent is reliably informed that they have decided to fight to a finish. Attention is focused on Kustcndil ajid Petritsh, 'where hostilities are likely to commence.

The only hope of •woidancc of a conflict seems to lie Si one of the parties hestitating to bo the first to move in the matter, of which the consequences will be most far-reach-ing.