FRENCH INDIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23758, 11 September 1940, Page 10

FRENCH INDIA

.VICHY DENOUNCED FIGHT FOR LIBERTY GENERAL DE GAULLE SPEAKS By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received September 10, 5.50 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 9 A message from Pondichevry says French India has rallied to General de Gaulle and has denounced the Vichy Government. Pondicherry is the chief town of several small settlements on the east coast of India which still remain under French rule. The territories have a total population of about 300,000. j Describing the Vichy trial as having I been deliberately engineered, General | de Gaulle, in a broadcast, said the j Vichy Government, acting under Hitler's horse-whip and Mussolini's lash, had the task of convincing the world that France was wrong to enter j the war. To this so-called Government, people ] were criminals who believed that | France was threatened or who thought that France should figjit. "Although in the whole world," General de Gaulle continued, "not a single person seriously doubts that those responsible for the Avar are the dictators of Berlin and Rome, yet a monstrous trial has been started in Franco against Frenchmen who are being prosecuted for this offence. This is a truly magnificent achievement —magnificent, let me hasten to add, for the enemy." One day, General tie Gaulle said, without doubt there would be a real trial of the guilty party. There was every reason to believe that many of those now prosecuting would then be in the dock. At the request of Germany, the Petain Government is terminating French diplomatic representation in German-occupied counti-ies. DEADLOCK REACHED I NDO-CH INA AFFAIR JAPANESE CHIEFS LEAVE (Received September 10, 5.50 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. O It is reported from Hanoi that Franco-Japanese negotiations regarding Indo-China have reached a deadlock following the departure of the two chiefs of the Japanese mission. French quarters are favourably impressed by the reports of alleged negotiations between Washington and Moscow. These are regarded as being of the highest importance to the future of Indo-China. FOOD DEMANDED UNOCCUPIED FRANCE GERMANS WANT 58 PER CENT I (Received September 11, 1.15 a.m.) NEW YORK, Sept, 10 The Washington correspondent of the New York Times says it is reliably stated that Germany has formally demanded that the y Vichy Government ship to the Reich 58 per cent of the food and raw materials of unoccupied France; and, similarly, such products imported to France in future. It is believed the new French Ambassador, who is to endeavour to obtain food relief for France from the United States, will meet fresh obstacles, due to the foregoing. The State Department is also concerned that the French forces in Martinique shall remain in possession of the 130 American bombers on board the aircraft carrier there. Diplomatic efforts to repossess the bombers, made through America, have failed. FAMINE IN FRANCE THE UNOCCUPIED ZONES (Received September 10, 5.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 0 Dr. Joseph Stokes, junior, has returned after a six weeks' tour of unoccupied France on behalf of the Quaker Relief Organisation. He said the Germans were doing nothing to help the inhabitants of the unoccupied zones, which were threatened with famine. "The Germans could permit food to enter;" Dr. Stokes said, "but the fact that they are- removing food to Germany shows that they need it themselves." RETURN TO WORK MR. CHAMBERLAIN RECOVERS (Received September 10, 5.50 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. s) The Lord President of the Council, Mr. Chamberlain, who has been recuperating after a recent operation, has ! returned to work. NORWEGIAN SHIP TWO MONTHS MISSING LEFT MELBOURNE MAY 30 SYDNEY, Sept. 10 The Minister of the Navy, Mr. A. G. Cameron, said he had known for about two months that the Norwegian j motor-ship Tirranna was overdue on i the voyage from Melbourne to Mom- ! basa, the chief port of Kenya colony. It is feared that the Tirranna was j either captured or sunk by an enemy j raider in the Indian Ocean. The .sliip I carried a crew of GO and 12 passengers. I including Lieut.-Commander S. llasnius- ! sen, who married a New Zealand girl j only a few months before sailing. Nothing has been .heard of the vessel since it left Melbourne on May 30.