AMERICA WATCHING

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24251, 17 April 1942, Page 5

AMERICA WATCHING

SUPPLIES FOR AFRICA SHIP SAILINGS POSTPONED —t— NEWS FROM VICHY AWAITED (Reed. 7.20 p.m.) NEW YORK. April 15 Officials in Washington do not confirm press reports from Vichy that United States consulates have advised Americans to leave unoccupied France, says the Washington correspondent of the New York Times. He adds, however, that consulates have been authorised to use their own discretion, but no reports of stich warnings to leave have been received in Washington. One Vichy message • states that foreign circles in contact with the Vichy Government report that Petain to-day was seeking means to avoid a break with the United States. Mr. Sumner Welles, Assistant-Secre-I tary of State, told the press to-day that

two ships were in New York harbour loaded with supplies for North Africa. In accordance with the agreement of last week they would have sailed shortly, but would now be held , up pending clarification of the Vichy situation. A Red Cross ship also was held up. Asked whether Admiral Leahy, United States Ambassador to Vichy, would be recalled, or whether the United States was breaking off relations with Vichy, Mr. Welles declined to comment until the composition of the Vichy Cabinet was officially announced. Asked whether Laval was discussing Cabinet-making with Frenchmen or Germans, Mr. Welles smiled and said he would leave that to his questioners. THE FRENCH FLEET SPECULATION AROUSED LONDON, April 15 The Vichy Government changes have led to discussions in informed quarters as to the future of the French Fleet, says the British official wireless. The view generally taken is that Darlan will, probably exercise the same control as before over the Vichy ships and will not allow his authority to slip from his hands. It is considered that the operation and manning of . these warships by the Germans would present a considerable problem, involving long training, and it is also doubtful whether they would have the necessary personnel. The Vichy Fleet has been exercised from time to time, but its efficiency for actual operation is open to question, NIGHT AIR COMBATS NEW ZEALAND PILOTS EXPLOITS OVER HOLLAND (Special Correspondent) LONDON, April 15 Two New Zealanders, flying night fighters, had combats recently over Holland. They are Pilot-Officer D. J. Scott, of Greymouth, and Sergeant B. Hay, of Auckland. Pilot-Officer Scott shot down a Dornier 217 over its own aerodrome last week when the intruder was patrolling. He sighted the Nazi at 1000 ft. and stalked him for a quarter of an hour. Meanwhile, the Nazi, oblivious of the New Zealander's presence, left on his landing lights. Pilot-Officer Scott attacked from the starboard quarter and gave a seven-second cannon-shell burst. He saw the Nazi crash in flames. On another night Pilot-Officer Scott sighted two Nazis circling before landing with tl/eir landing lights shining. He attacked one, which immediately put out its lights. So he chased the second, which also put out its lights, but not before Pilot-Officer Scott had fired a five-second burst and saw the shells striking the Nazi. Sergeant Hay damaged a Heinkel 111 after a similar combat. These New Zealanders shoot up searchlights and gun positions on enemy' aerodromes when they do not locate returning aircraft. Pilot-Officer Scott has now shot down two confirmed, two probables and has damaged more. His log-book shows 700 hours of operational flying in Hurricanes. He has been recommended for decorwion. CRITICS OF BUDGET DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OFFICIALDOM ATTACKED LONDON, April 15 "Unnecessary expenditure probably totalled £2,000,000 a day, while increases in taxation could have been avoided had reasonable economy been enforced in Government departments,'' said Mr. Joseph Braithwaite (Conser-. vative—Holderness) in the Budget debate in the House of Commons, "We are not getting efficiency for the taxpayers' money,'' he added. "We are getting a multiplicity of officials who regard themselves as the masters rather than the i servants of the public. Many are' not competent to conduct the vast machinery of this war. The result is that initiative and incentive is being buried under mountains of paper." Mr. C. Stephen (I.L.P.— Glasgow) said: 'This is a rich man's Budget which will cause the utmost disappointment throughout the country. The rich are getting richer. Sir Kingsley Wood has handed the medicine to the workers and cynically said that the rich cannot pay more. There should be more equality of sacrifice." "It is no humdrum Budget, but a battledrum Budget," said Mr. Arthur Woodburn (Labour Clackmannan). "It marshals the country financially for the whole purpose of war and has been accepted in that spirit as a busi-ness-like method of financing it." AMERICAN SHIP LOSSES SINKING SEEN FROM SHORE (Seed. 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April 15 A medium-sized American merchant ship was torpedoed and shelled within sight of the eastern coast in full view of hundreds of residents of a small community. Nineteen of the crew of 48 were killed as the vessel plunged to the bottom. ' Another small United States merchant ship has been lostoff the east coast.