Important New Italian Move

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 151, 29 June 1938, Page 5

Important New Italian Move

WHAT IS MUSSOLINI PREPARING ? Received Wednesday, 1 a.m. ROME, June 28. It is believed that Italy is planning an important new move in Spain. Widespread speculation is aroused at Mussolini’s conferences with the army chiefs on June 27. Such meetings are rarely publicised, and the present announcement may be intended to prepare the public for an exceptionally important decision. Officially nothing is known of Mr. Chamberlain’s reported appeal to Mussolini to restrain franco’s bombings. BRITISH-OWNED POET BOMBED WHILE CRUISER LOOKS ON Received Tuesday, 7.50 p.m. MADRID, June 28. Tho British cruiser Arethusa was anchored off the breakwater when six Nationalist bombers raided the British owned port of Gandia, dostroying several dwellings near tho water’s edge. None of the bombs fell near the cruiser which afterwards took off 34 refugees. CONTROL OF FOREIGN AIRCRAFT HAVE ITALIAN PLANES BOMBED DIRECT FROM ITALY? (British Official Wireless.) Received Tuesday, 9.20 p.m. RUGBY, June 27. Asked in tho House of Commons whether the recent agreement for the evacuation of foreign troops from Spain included measures for the international control of the passage of aircraft and air personnel into Spain, tho Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs (Mr. R. A. Butler) said it was extremely difficult to make such control effective. As regards tho air personnel, those fell under the category of volunteers whom countries parties to the agreement had already undertaken to prevant from proceeding to Spain. In another answer Mr. Butler said the undertaking already given by the Italian Government that no war material be sent to Spain would b'j reaffirmed in tho draft resolution now under examination by the Non-Intervention Committee. He said he was unaware that Italian aero planes had, as suggested in ti question, been gravelling from Italian territory to bomb towns in Governmentcontrolled areas. The undertakings to which he had already referred undoubtedly covered such activities. NO REPLY YET FROM FRANCO COMMONS MORE UNEASY LONDON, June 27. The Australian Associated Press says that the Prime Minister has now waited for four days for a reply from General Franco, through the British Agent in Spain, Sir Robert Hodgson, in connection with recent bombings. The only reply so far has been th-ee further bombings, considerably intensifying tho uneasiness in tho House of Commons, where pressuro may yet force Mr. Chamberlain to act. Replying to a question in the House of Commons, Mr. Chamberlain stated that tho Government did not desire to encourage tho mounting of anti-aircraft guns on British merchantmen. In any case, it would require structural alterations. FURTHER BOMBINGS OF BRITISH SHIPS AT VALENCIA AND ALICANTE VALENCIA, June 27. The British steamer Arlon was bombed from the air and set oh fire. One member of the crew was killed. Insurgent planes also bombed tho British steamer Farnham, anchored at Alicante,

The Ariou was attacked by five planes