CABLES IN BRIEF

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24303, 18 June 1942, Page 4

CABLES IN BRIEF

Lend-Lease Agreement.—Washington has announced the signing of a master lend-lease agreement with Belgium and a robot agreement with Costa Rica. Czech Victims.—Twenty-six more Czechs have been executed on vague charges of complicity in the death of Heydrich. These victims included a professor, a lawyer, a teacher and an industrialist. George Cross Award.—The first award of a George Cross to a resident of Malta has gone to acting-Lieutenant-Commander William Ewart Hiscock, for great gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. New Post for Goering.—The Berlin radio announced that Hitler has appointed Goering president of the Reich Research Council, a newly-formed body to co-ordinate the work of German scientists for war purposes. Australians in Scotland.—The Australian High Commissioner in England, Mr. S. M. Bruce, has just completed a tour of the Australian Forestry Companies in Scotland. He saw tho men tree-felling, hauling and milling. More Czechs Killed. —The Berlin radio announced that 26 more Czechs have been sentenced to death, including ten for complicity in the killing of Heydrich, four for tho illegal possession of arms, and 12 for hiding persons hostile to the Reich. Australian Tea Rationing.—The Australian Minister of Trade and Customs, Senator R. V. Keane, announced that tea. rationing coupons in ration books, issued last week-end. would be effective from July 7. From that date retailers would be allowed to sell tea. only when the coupons were produced. "Von Starhembeig in Brazil.—Prince, von Starheinberg. a former Austrian Vice-Chancellor, has arrived in Rio de Janeiro from Lisbon on his way to Buenos Aires to join his wife and son. Von Starhemberg has spent the last 15 months in Africa. He said ho might soon visit the United States. Post in Washington.—LieutenantGeneral Gordon Macreadv has arrived to assume his post as chief of the British Army Stall' in Washington. He succeeds Lieutenant-General Sir Colville Wcmyss. General Macreadv is responsible for designing the Bren carrier and is one of the leading advocates of the Waltzing .Matilda tank. Defenders of Malta.—Replying to a cablegram of good wishes from the people of Worcester, his home town, Air Vice-Marshal IJoyd. commander of the Royal Air Force in Malta, said: "We are in great heart and full of fight. The morale has never been higher. By your magnificent eflorts in England we are getting the necessary equipment. That equipment is vastly superior to that of the enemy." Red Indians at War. —Six Indian nations of the Iroquois Confederacy have declared war on the Axis. Chief Onondaga told the Vice-President of the United States, Mr. Henry Wallace, in a colourful ceremony on the Capitol steps that, although the Indians may have had differences with their paleface brothers in the past, that was all over. "Let us be united now and win the war together." said Chief Onondaga. Awards to Heroes. —The British Umpire Medal has been awarded Sergeant A. L. Durbridge, of the Royal Corps of Signals, for gallantry aboard a merchantman during shipment abroad of tanks for the Allies. Heavy tanks '•ante adrift during a severe storm and Sergeant Durbridgo worked indefatig.ilily in very dangerous conditions to reattach the tanks to their moorings, file George Medal has been awarded Lieutenant T. L. V. Brown, of tho Royal Engineers, for gallantry io a Libyan minefield Jast January.