CITY IN FLAMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23594, 1 March 1940, Page 7

CITY IN FLAMES

FIGHT ON ISTHMUS INEED OF REINFORCEMENTS HELP NOW REACHING FINNS By Telegraph-—Prws Association—Copyright LONDON, Feb. 28 Whole blocks of buildings in Viipuri are in flames, says a message from Helsinki. The Russians have been reinforced all along the Karelian Isthmus. Fighting in the coastal area continues on a narrow front, which precludes the full deployment of Russia's strength, but makes possible the continuous maintenance of her offensive, while the Finns lack adequate reinforcements. A Finnish communique claims to have repulsed tin: l ) enemy to the northeast of Lake Ladoga, Kuhrno and elsewhere. The Finns assert that they have shot down 521 Russian aeroplanes and destroyed or captured 1310 tanks since the outbreak of the war. A Russian communique claims that, breaking through the Finnish fortified y,one, the Russians have occupied 33 strong points, and also shot down six Finnish aeroplanes. Three hundred Hungarian volunteers are en route to Finland, where the first of the Canadians have arrived. The Finns enthusiastically greeted new fighting aeroplanes, presumably including British machines.

FIRE RETURNED FISHING TRAWLER'S FEAT AEROPLANI! SHOT DOWN INCIDENT INT NORTH SEA • LONDON, Feb. 28 The fishing: trawler Arora, of 192 tons, from Aberdeen, one of the four which German aeroplanes attacked in the North Sea on Tuesday, returned the fire with a Lewis gun. it is believed 'to have destroyed an aeroplane. In the course of tho battle the Germans dropped four bombs, one of which set fire to 'the stern of the Arora, but the flames were extinguished by the second engineer. Two other trawlers reached port with their decks perforated by bullets. A fourth continued fishing all night.

One hundred Danish trawlers have gone to Esbjerg from the Dogger Bank, the crews saying it is too dangerous to fish there because aeroplanes are incessantly circling overhead and sink at least one vessel each time, says the Coj>enhagen correspondent of the Times. Searches by aeroplanes and ships failed to locate three Germans in a rubber boat whom the Royal Air Force shot down o£E Northumberland yesterday.

MARCHING TO VICTORY ALLIES ON FIVE FRONTS VIEWS OF ECONOMIST (Received February 20, 5.35 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Feb. 28 In a speech at Dover, the noted economist Sir George Paish spoke of the "five fronts" on which the nation is fighting —naval, military, diplomatic, economic and financial. On the naval front, he said, the Allies were completely victorious, on the military front the German Army was in a state of stagnation, and on the diplomatic front world opinion was steadily swinging in favour of France and Britain.

According to his information, said Sir George, German distress on the economic front was increasing, and likely to increase, and might become desperate before the next harvest. The financial front must be giving grave concern to the German financial authorities, for a very large part of Germany's expenditure was being provided by note expension, which was giving rise to fears of runaway inflation. On all fronts, therefore, the Allied Powers were marching to victory. Nearly £100.000,000 had been provided in Britain by the sale of national savings certificate!) and defence bonds in less than three months, but that was a relatively small sum comj red with the amount needed. He askew that the sum reached in the next three months should be a much greater total.

LEND TO NATION CHANCELLOR'S APPEAL BRITISH INVESTMENT BODIES (Received February 29, 5.35 p.m.) Brilish Wireles'i LONDON, Feb. 28 The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir John Simon, to-day met representatives of investment organisations which take a large part in the disposal of national savings and urged that, in the largest measure possible, funds available for investment should be lent directly to the nation during the war. He received an assurance of the desire of the bodies concerned to co-operate in the national effort.

BRITAIN AND JAPAN GERMANS HANDED OVER (Received February 29, P. 20 p.m.) YOKOHAMA, Feb. 29 The British auxiliary cruiser Kanimbla has transferred to the Japanese authorities nine of the Germans from the Asama Maru.

ANOTHER "SEA EIGHT" DUTGii NAVAL EXERCISES (Received March 1, 12.25 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 29 Heavy gunfire was heard at midnight off the Dutch coast in the direction of the North Sea, says the correspondent of Renter's at The Hague. It was believed a naval battle was in progress. The firing lasted for an hour, and the flashes of exploding shells could be seen from the shore. Later, however, it was stated from Amsterdam that the gunfire was from Dirjbch naval vessels which were carryingifcout night exercises.