GOLD PURCHASE BAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24826, 24 February 1944, Page 5

GOLD PURCHASE BAN

GERMANY'S HOARD OF LOOT (Rprri 5.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 The Treasurv Department, acting in concert with Britain and Russia, has announced that in future it will not buy gold from neutral countries which has been acquired directly or indirectly from Axis countries and will refuse to recognise the sales of any gold looted bv the Axis.

A spokesman explained that, the action was aimed chiefly at Germany: which is believed to have 1.000.000.000 dollars worth of looted gold. However. Japan has also taken gold from China and Hongkong and is undoubtedly working the Philippine gold mines. The spokesman added that Germany is using her gold resources to keep the foreign supply sources open and increasing the amount of "German gold" reaching neutral markets in Turkey, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal. The gold decree complements the recent notification of the_United Nations refusing to recognise title to property seized by the Axis. 14 ARRESTS IN CHILE SPY RING UNEARTHED {Reed. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 23 Fourteen people have been arrested in Chili —six Germans, five Chileans, two Paraguayans and one Pole. It is officially stated that they have confessed i:o charges of sending information to Germany by radio. Their organisation has been directed by the air attache to the German Embassy <it Santiago, who was recently sent back to Germany. One of tiie Chileans arrested is said to have been studying at the Gestapo espionage school in Hamburg. GIFT FROM SPAIN REFUSAL BY UNIVERSITY (Rerd. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 22 Oxford University has refused to accept a gift of books from the Madrid Higher Council for scientific research, which the Magdalen College representative described as "a ruse by Franco's Government to ingratiate itself with the British public." The university has decided to establish a Chair of Russian, There has not been a professor of Russian there for 20 years.