BURMA DEATH TRAP

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24879, 28 April 1944, Page 4

BURMA DEATH TRAP

JAPANESE BURNED ALIVE FIRE TURNS ON ENEMY <Recd. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, April 20 Scores of Japanese were burned alive in a forest fire which they started around a hilltop position held bv the West Africans, on the Kaladan front, east of Arakau, Burma, in an attempt to smoke out the defenders, says a message from Kandy. The Japanese, after setting fire to some dry timber, charged up a steep slope. A strong wind came u{s and turn eel the flames back against the Japanese who, silhouetted against the fire, wore mown down by Allied maehine-gunneis. The Allied advance on the Uknrul road, north-east of Imphal, Assam, continues, states a Burma-communique, in northern Burma Chinese troops made limited .gains in the face of stubborn Japanese resistance. Chinese infantry captured a hill north-west of lnkangahtaung. In three days' recent fighting west of the Mogaung River the Chinese killed more than 2000 Japanese, ihe advance to Marong continues. On the Arakan front the Allies inflicted very heavy casualties on the Japanese during mopping-up operations in the Buthidaung area. MR. CURTIN ILL BROADCAST FROM BED PATIENT AT WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON, April 20 The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. J. Curtin. who is visiting Washington on his way to London, has suddenly become ilf and been forced to cancel all engagements. To-night he gave an important broadcast, which he delivered from his bed. Mr. Curtin awoke this morning w his bedroom at the White House, where he spent the night as the _ guest oi President Roosevelt, with high blood pressure and symptoms of neuritis, which have troubled him in the past. The attending physician, Captain R. A. Werner, of the United States Navy, said the illness might delay Mr. Curtin's departure for London. It was expected that lie would be able to resume his ordinary routine within two days. In his broadcast Mr. Curtin said that.he and President Roosevelt had discussed matters of major importance to the United Nations in general and their own countries in particular. J hey had reviewed the whole strategy ot the Pacific war theatre and then turned to problems which would present themselves after the war, including the paramountry important problem of insurance against future aggression and the means needed to remove the if'" 11 " ' want and social insecurity from all mankind. BRITISH BUDGET DEBATE IN COMMONS LONDON, April Support for and criticism of the Budget were expressed when the debate continued in the House of Commons to-day. Mr F W. Pethick-Lawrence (Labour — Edinburgh) criticised the Chancellor's proposal to allow the cost of living to rise slightly to counteract the rise in wa rf es. He said that ll the cost oi was allowed to chase wages it might well have an inflationary effect. Sir John Wardlaw-Milne (Conservative —Kidderminster) pointed out that borrowings for war purposes would place a heavy burden on the taxpayer. He said he hoped that consideration oi this fact would stop the silly cry that if money could be found for war it could be found for peace. The nation could not afford £15,000,000 a day for war at all. It was merely running into debt. He emphasised the need for the encouragement of every kind of enterprise, new ideas and initiative after the war so that they could get back to normal as rapidly as possible. Mr. Robert Boothby (Conservative — Aberdeen) said the picture painted by the Chancellor was a little too sombre. He personally was all for caution, but considered there were grounds for great hope. He suggested that the internal production of foodstuffs could be further increased and that certain controls should be retained after the war. , The Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mr. Ralph Assheton, said that Britain now had virtually completed the long-drawn-out process of mobilising her economic resources so as to make possible the most intense and, if necessary, the most sustained war effort. The stage had been reached where it was legitimate aiul proper to make preparations for financial problems of the future. The debate was adjourned.