RENEWED EFFORT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 31 January 1936, Page 5

RENEWED EFFORT

ITALIANS USING ARTILLERY TO RECAPTURE LOST POSITIONS RUMOURS OF REVOLT IN ABYSSINIA (Unite-- 1 Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, 29th January. The Addis Ababa correspondent, of “The Times” says that Ras Kassa reports that the Italians are striving to recapture lost positions, and are employing heavy artillery, but the Abyssinians have repulsed the assailants. Ras Kassa covers the southern area near Makale, while Ras Seyoum is prosecuting guerrilla warfare across the Adowa-Makale line of communications. A Dessie message asserts that Abyssinians, with antiquated rifles, fired on Italian aeroplanes bombing churches in Tembicn and brought down a plane in flames. One occupant used a parachute, but was caught in a tree, in which lie was hanged. The other occupants of the machine were incinerated. Four thousand Italians are reported to have occupied Negelli, but Abyssinians believe that the February rains will endanger their supplies from Dolo. Meanwhile, reinforcements for. Ras Desta, who may have to explain to Haile Selassie why he lost Negelli, and submit to an Imperial rebuke, are advancing from Sidamo. The “Daily Mail’s” Addis Ababa correspondent gives prominence to rumours of a revolt in Abyssinia,, and points out that the Gojam uprising against Selassie took 5000 picked, troops a month to subdue. The correspondent adds that 130,000 troops of a different race from the disaffected tribesmen are moving under three Dedjasmatches south-west from Harar, ostensibly to cut off the Italian army between Dolo and Sidamo, but the actual route will traverse the centre of the disaffected areas. Petty local jealousies are asserting themselves now that the first flush of patriotism has subsided. Moreover, peasant cultivators feel the strain of supplying and transporting gratis food for the troops.