QUITTING CAPITAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22399, 21 April 1936, Page 9

QUITTING CAPITAL

ABYSSINIA'S PLIGHT ORDERS FOR EVACUATION ITALIAN RING CLOSING SWIFT DRIVE FROM SOUTH By Telotrraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 20, 5.45 p.m.) r LONDON, April 19 The correspondent of the Times at Addis Ababa says that a proclamation was read to a vast crowd at the Imperial racecourse, ordering! the whole population of the city to Yar. Previous exceptions in favour of the servants of Europeans have been withdrawn. Every able-bodied man has been commanded to prepare food and take his rifle and ammunition and told he will receive his marching orders within two days. Malingerers and slackers will be punished by flogging and a heavy fine. The crowd received the announcement with terrific cheering and cries that they would win or die together. The Belgian mission and other foreigners are departing by a special train. Other sources state tHat the Cabinet met and postponed a. decision on the question of transferring the capital. Five thousand warriors at the racecourse meeting took an oath to defend the capital to the death. A stand will be made at a distance from the city. It is believed that if Addis Ababa falls the Emperor can hold out for many months in the mountains to the west. The Daily Telegraph's Addis Ababa correspondent states that the Governor has issued an order prohibiting troops in flight before the Italians from entering Addis Ababa, as he fears that men from remote provinces, regarding all whites as Italians, may attack the several thousand Europeans who are still here. It is believed it can be only a matter of days before the Italians occupy the capital. _ L The Daily Telegraph's correspondent; at Jibouti, French Somaliiland, says that the Italians have occupied Sasa Baneh, after meeting fierce resistance from Ras Nasibu s well-organised forces. The Italian casualties were 10 white officers and 650 white and native troops killed and wounded. The renegade sultan Olal Dinle aided the .victors, whose advance guards have occupied Jijiga. It is reported to-night that Ankober, only 80 miles distant from Addis Ababa, was occupied after an air attack. The reported occupation also of Jijiga, 40 miles east of Harrar, has shattered the hopes of the Ogaden defence. It is feared that the railway to Addis Ababa will now soon be cut. The Emperor's whereabouts are unknown, but it is claimed that he is still accompanied by the most important section of the army.