NO MORE CHROME

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24875, 22 April 1944, Page 7

NO MORE CHROME

TURKISH DECLARATION SUPPLIES TO GERMANY END (Reed. 6.10 p.m.) LONDON, April 21 The Foreign Minister of Turkey, M. Menemencioglu, announces that from to-morrow Turkey will cease supplying chrome to Germany and other Axis countries. The supplying of chrome was subject to the trade pact signed with Germany in 1941. In a broadcast over the Ankara radio, M. Menemencioglu said: "Accepting the policy we adopted in 1939 and which we have since followed, and according to our pact with Britain in 19:19, we are not neutral." Regarding the prohibition of. chrome exports to Axis countries ho added: "A belligerent country's Note to a neutral country asking her not to sell material to a certain country would probably raise the question of the rights of neutral countries and provoke much discussion. It is necessary, however, for us to consider the Allied Note as being, not to a neutral country, but as addressed to an ally of the British and their Allies." Ankara messages say that M. Menemencioglu is expected to' leave for Istanbul where the British and United States Ambassadors have already arrived. The Prime Minister of Turkey, M. Saraeogln, emphasised that his country has exported chrome to Germany strictly on a barter basis. There was not a single drachm of German gold in the Central Bank at Istanbul. The decision of Turkey to stop all exports of chrome to Germany is described by the Times as a good beginning. The paper says there are other Turkish exports to the enemy which must come under review before the position can be regarded as wholly satisfactory. Referring to the decision to cease chrome exports. Renter's diplomatic correspondent says that it will deprive Germany of at least half her supplies of this essential mineral for hardening the special steels used in armour-plate and similar requirements. Germany's remaining supplies come from Yugoslavia and Greece, but they are precarious owing to the activities of guerillas. LONDON BUS STRIKE BRIEF SCARE ENDING DRAFTING IN OF TROOPS (Reed. 7.30 p.in.) LONDON, April 21 There are signs that the London busmen's strike is collapsing, Men at three of the five affected depots are resuming this morning. When the strike was announced earlier it was stated to be a protest against the new summer schedules. These were said to involve longer hours of work with no increase in pay. Yesterday evening it was announced that the strike had assumed serious proportions, threatening the capital with the greatest transport hold-up since the complete stoppage in the coronation year, 1937. Troops, for the first time in the history of London transport, were drafted in yesterday to drive buses on various routes. This created resentment among working employees, many of whom last night joined the strikers. The Minister of War Transport. Lord Leathers, had arranged to replace all strikers with soldiers and. where necessary, to use military lorries, of which some were already being used, to move rush-hour crowds. NO GAS IN MANCHESTER STRIKE PARALYSES SERVICE 300 SOLDIERS ARRIVE (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 21 Three hundred troops arrived at the City Corporation's Manchester gasworks early this morning to take over and run the plants. They will work under the direction of technicians. Manchester's entire gas services have been paralysed by a strike of 500 men demanding an extra penny an hour. Ninety per cent of the city's population will be breadless to-morrow unless the strike ends, because the majority of the bakeries use gas and coke ovens. The strike, which began at 6 a.m. to-day, has already brought war factories to a standstill and deprived hospitals, households, hotels and restaurants of hot meals. The gas supplies dwindled during the day from 25,000.000 cubic feet to 6,000.000 at 6 p.m.. when the following general order was issued: "Turn off nil gas." The head of the gasworks explained that it was necessary to retain 6,000,000 cubic feet in the mains <to keep up the requisite pressure to prevent air pockets. A flying squad of cars with loud-speakers rushed to all districts to warn 220,000 consumers that any attempts to use any more gafi might result in explosions. INDUSTRIAL OFFENCES EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS (Heed. 5.35 p.m.) ' LONDON, April 20 Answering a question in the House of Commons, the Minister of Labour, Mr. Ernest .Bevin, said 127 employers and 23,517 workers had been prosecuted during the war in England and Wales for offences against the wartime industrial code. No employer had been imprisoned, but 1807 workers had been sentenced. Mr. Rhys Davies (Labour —Westhoughton, Lancashire): Can the Minister explain how it comes about that so many workers but no employers have been imprisoned for offending against the same industrial code. Mr. Bevin replied that the question of the sentences imposed was a matter for the Courts. LABOUR PEER DIES CAREER OF LORD SWELL I/ONI>OiV, April 20 The death is announced in London of Lord Snell, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords. He was 79 years old and had held this post in the House since 1940.

Lord Snell began life as a farm worker and was devoted throughout life to ethical, religious and charitable organisations. He was Member of Parliament (Labour) for East Woolwich from 1922-1931. From 1934 to 1938 he was chairman of the London County Oounpil.