ENEMY REINFORCED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25048, 11 November 1944, Page 7

ENEMY REINFORCED

JAPANESE OX LEYTE ORIGINAL FORCE REPLACED (Reed. (5.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON.; Nov.-9 General Mac Arthur's Philippines communique says that the Japanese are continuing to reinforce their troops on Leyte Island. Men from Mindanao, Cebu and other islands are constantly pouring into Leyte. The enemy's original forces, numbering about 35,000, have been practically destroyed, but the reinforcements have almost replaced them. The Japanese Thirty-fifth Army, says the communique, is being sent to Leyte in a desperate effort to retrieve the strategical position in a Campaign which threatens the enemy's entire hold in the Philippines. The communique says that the 24th Division made substantial gains on the front southward of Carigara Bay, seizing commanding terrain to the east of the Ormoc road. Artillery is' continuously harassing the enemy's forward and rear areas. The 96th Division, driving into the foothills, penetrated deeply into the central mountain range. Fires are raging in Ormoc, which has been heavily hit by artillery and aerial bombing. Its usefulness for the enemy as a port and supply base has been greatly decreased. The Secretary of War. Mr H. L. Stimson, told a press conference that the Japanese attempted a partial comeback in the Philippines after initial heavy reverses. They accumulated new air strength to harass our troops and ships and contrived to land reinforcements on Leyte, but combined American operations immediately curtailed the hostile air action over Leyte. "The Tokyo radio tells us," said Mr Stimson, "that the Japanese have replaced their top commanders. This ought to be enough to make even the Japanese people suspect that something is wrong 1 with the unbroken optimism of the recent Japanese communiques, The changes also indicate that Japan will fight in the Philippines to the bitter end. A long trail of forceful action is ahead of us."

NAVAL COMMAND SUPPLYING PACIFIC FLEET WASHINGTON, .Nov. * The Secretary of the Navy, Mr James V. Forrestal, announced today, that Admiral lloval Ingersoll, Commander-in-Chief of tlie Atlantic Fleet, Juts been appointed commander of the Western Sea Frontier with the status of deputy-Commander-in-Chief of the United States Fleet and deputy-Chief of Naval Operations.

Admiral Ingersoll will manage the How of supplies to the Pacific 'Fleet through west coast ports. The extension of Pacific Fleet activities in distant areas lias created a supply problem of great magnitude, requiring adjustments to the supply organisation.

FINANCES OF N.S.W, AIM OF £500,000 SURPLUS SYDNEY, Not. 10 The New South Wales State Budget, introduced in the Legislative Assembly by the Premier and Treasurer, Mr W. ,T. McKell, anticipates a surplus of, £500,000 for 1944-45, compared with an actual surplus of nearly £1,200,000 for 1948-44. Receipts in State lotteries last *year were nearly £250,000 higher than the estimate. A further increase of £50,000 is budgeted for this year. Further increases are also anticipated in revenue from betting taxes. A State railways surplus of more than £500,000 is expected. compared with an actual surplus of £750,000 last year. Mr McKell said the failure of the Commonwealth's wider powers#referendum meant that heavy burdens had been thrown back on the States, although the operation of the uniform income tax meant that State Governments had little direct control over their principal revenue item. It seemed clear that if States were to deal adequately with the problems _ arising out of their post-war responsibilities, some revision of- Commonwealth and State financial relationships would be necessary. MORE FLYING BOMBS (Reed. p.m.) LONDON. Nov. .10 .More flying bombs were launched against England last night. There was aa alert ia London, • ;