SPAIN'S CRISIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22489, 5 August 1936, Page 13

SPAIN'S CRISIS

ACUTE STAGE CABINET'S POSITION early fall predicted MYSTEKY OF A LINER ALTERATION IN COURSE By Telegraph—rress Association—Copyright (Keceived August 4, T.."i p.m.) LONDON, Aucrnst <1 It is reported from Home that the Spanish Foreign Minister, Senor Aucusto IWcia, told the Chilean and other foreign diplomats that the Government, will not be able to carry on and is likely to fall in a few days. The Spanish liner Cristobel Colon unexpectedly arrived at Southampton with 459 passengers, including Senor Rivas Cheriffe, brother-in-law of the President, Don Azana. The liner was bound from New York to Vigo, but when she was approaching the Spanish coast she was ordered by wireless to proceed either to Southampton or to Liverpool. Reporters who visited the ship could not ascertain the official reason for the change, but gathered that the passengers had been told an anti-Red warship was searching for the liner. Therefore it was deemed advisable for her to alter her course. STRUGGLE FOR MADRID FIGHTING INTENSIFIED REBEL FORCE DEFEATED (Received -August 5, 12.15 a.m.) MADRID, August 4 The struggle for Madrid is intensifying. The Government claims that early to-day a desperate battle on the Guadarrama heights around Somo Sierra ended in the defeat and flight of the rebels under the pressure of Government reinforcements. All day yesterday the rebels tried to pierce the Government lines. A small force of Red Militia bore the brunt of the attack, but managed to hold out until the reinforcements arrived, when they counter-attacked. It is stated that the rebels lost .300 dead and the Government forces 54. A Government aeroplane bombed a rebel train between Medina and Avila. It is reported that the rebels in Avila have taken refuge in the museum, which is one of the finest in Europe. CHURCHES ROBBED MONEY AND SECURITIES FLEEING BISHOP'S ORDEAL MADRID, August 3 Squads of militia searching churches and convents throughout the country found money and securities worth £630.000. which they handed over to the Government. The Bishop of Gerona's palace yielded £550,000 worth of Government bonds. The militia arrested the Bishop of 1 Jaen while he was fleeing from his diocese with his sister and relatives. He had £-30.000 in his possession. A search of his sister's clothes revealed £22,000 worth of bonds. The bishop and his J relatives were" placed in a cathedral, which was turned into a prison. j < NAVAL BOMBARDMENT J t J STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR * \ MOOLTAN IN DANGER ZONE < GIBRALTAR, August 3 1 The Spanish Government's battleship Jaime Primero and the cruiser Liber- v tad, from the middle of the Straits of s Gibraltar, shelled Tarifa, causing all e shipping hurriedly to move from the t line of fire. ' These vessels included the Mooltan, which is on the way to Australia. Before she entered the danger zone battleships followed her, their officers apparently thinking she was a hostile ship. MURDER IN ALGIERS HEAD OF MOSLEM CHURCH POLITICAL SECT SUSPECTED ALGIERS, August 3 The head of the Moslem Church in Algiers, the Grand Imam, was murdered to-day by a young Arab. The man advanced toward the Grand Imam, apparently to pay the customary tribute of a kiss on his forehead, and plunged a dagger into his heart.

The murderer is believed to have been hired by a Moslem political sect. Four Arabs were arrested. ft is feared that disturbances in Algiers may follow.