UNDER FIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22789, 24 July 1937, Page 15

UNDER FIRE

BRITISHJ/ESSEL REFUGEES ABOARD ■ INCIDENT OFF SPAIN REBEL WAD SHIP'S ACT DESTROYED. TO BESCUE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received July 23, 5.10 p.m.) Times Cable LONDON, July 23 A message from Santander, on the north coast of Spain, states that insurgent warships fired eight or nine shells at the British steamer MacGregor after she had left San- . tander for Franco with 2000 refugees on board. Some of tho shells fell close, but the MacGregor held boldly on her course until she was well clear of the 'three-mile limit, when a British destroyer closed in for her protection. This is tho first time a refugee ship has been fired upon when refugees were on board. The Santander correspondent of the Times says five of tho shells were fired nt-the MacGregor when she was inside the three-mile limit and tho others when she was outside. LABOUR COMPLAINT •PROTECTION OF SHIPPING • FIRST LORD'S REJOINDER (Received July 23, 5.10 p.m.) - LONDON, July 23 The First Lord of tho Admiralty, Mr. 'A. Duff Cooper, in tho House of Commons, replied to Captain Wedgwood Benn (Labour —Gorton), who complained of lack of protection of British merchant ships entering Spanish territorial waters to evacuate refugees. Tho Minister said: "These refugee . fehips are volunteers just as much as those volunteers, from Italy, Germany, England and France who are alleged to

be fighting on either side. They are participating in the war. Do they expect the British Navy to see them safely into harbour? What is it the member for Gorton suggests?" ... Captain Wedgwood Benn: Common humanitv.

,/Mr. Duff Cooper: Common humanity in this case would mean firing on Spanish ships, entering the war and risking the lives of British sailors for a cause which nobody in Britain outside the Labour Party thinks worth fighting for. ' The First Lord emphasised that tho British Government would protect British ships on the high seas, but said that when they entered territorial waters they forfeited the right to British protection. CONTROL DEADLOCK British Wireless RUGBY. July 22 The British Government is known to have under active consideration alternative procedure , which will meet the situation arisjng from the non-inter-vention deadlock. Officials are still at work on the final form of the new suggestion, but it is not impossiblo that it May be submitted to the chairman's , sub-committeo beforo the end of tho present week. FRENCH STORY DENIED NO GUNS ON PYRENEES SALAMANCA, July 22 The insurgent Junta denies the French story of a week ago that Spanish rebel guns were being placed on commanding positions in the Pyrenees to the'menace of considerable areas of Southern France.