RIGHTS AS NEUTRAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23616, 28 March 1940, Page 11

RIGHTS AS NEUTRAL

NORWAY'S COMPLAINT ALLEGED INFRINGEMENT NOTE SENT TO BRITAIN By Telegraph—Press Associali<|i —Copyright (Received March 27, (i.2.j p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, March 20 The alleged infringement of Norwegian neutrality, mainly by British aircraft, was the subject of representations made toward the end of last week to the British Government by the Norwegian Minister in London. Regarding reports at the weekend of further representations alleging the entry into Norwegian waters by a British warship which was watching the movements of German merchantmen, no communication so far has been made to London. While determined to prevent the exploitation by the enemy of neutral waters which, as the Altmarck episode showed, is a practice often followed' in violation of genuine neutrality, Britain will consider sympathetically any Norwegian representations that may be advanced, fully recognising that from time to time differences must arise with neutrals. There is every reason to believe that Norway, which, through torpedoings and bombings without warning, has lost about 60 ships and more than 400 seamen at the hands of Germany, appreciates the fact that Britain has conducted in the past and will continue to conduct the blockade of Germany with full regard to 'the dictates of \ humanity and respect for the rights of neutrals.

NORTHERN WATERS BRITISH NAVAL ACTIVITY FLOTILLA OFF COAST DESTROYERS AND SUBMARINES LONDON, March '2O Well-informed sources at Copenhagen state that British destroyers and submarines are active in the region of the Skaggerrak. A Stockholm newspaper refers to a "whole British destroyer flotilla" otf the Norwegian coast. The Norwegian Foreign Office has instructed its Legation in London to protest against a British destroyer's alleged violation of territorial waters on Friday. It is claimed that one destroyer fired a shot at a German steamer. An uncxploded shell was found ashore later. The German steamer did not stop and the destroyer took no further action. CRAFT TORPEDOED GERMAN TRAWLER (Receiver! March 27, 7.-18 p.m.) LONDON. March 27 The Berlin radio to-day said the German trawler Butt was torpedoed in Norwegian waters. BALLOT-BOX LOST FRENCH CHAMBER VOTE " ACCIDENT " ADMITTED PARIS. March •_><; Tt is disclosed that a halloP-hnx containing votes for the ex-Prime Minister. M. Daladier, last week went astrnv. Deputies, whose votes were missing, were put down as having abstained. Thus the missing votes probably played an important part in influencing M. Daladier to resign. The disclosure followed the complaint of one deputy that although he voted for the Government, his name was included among those who abstained. The secretary thereupon admitted an "unfortunate accident." The smallness of the room where the votes were counted and the lateness of the hour are believed to have been responsible. The last motion of confidence in M. Daladier taken in the Chamber of Deputies was carried by 201 votes to 1, hut it was reported that.3oo deputies refrained from voting. NAZISM EXPOSED SWISS CATHOLIC CHURCH ZURICH, March The Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland has appealed to Swiss Catholics to rally against Nazism. The appeal states that Catholics should know that Nazism aims: Firstly, at conquest ignoring moral boundaries; secondly, at military despotism at home; thirdly, to hide its real motives from thinking people all over the world; and. fourthly, at calculated deception in polities and literature.