PHILIPPINES AREA

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25084, 23 December 1944, Page 8

PHILIPPINES AREA

MINDORO AIR RASES PINCERS ON LEYTE CLOSE (KeciJ 0.30 p.iuj WASHINGTON, Dec '2l There has been no ground activity oil Mindoro Island, Philippines, but air activity has increased sharply, says General Mac Arthur's communique. American fighters intercepted 20 enemy planes attempting to attack ground installations and destroyed 11 of them. We lost one fighter, Aircraft are already operating from Mindoro bases and one bomber .set on fire a 6000-ton ft eighter-transport off the north west coast. The pincers along the Orinoc corridor on Ley to Island from north to south j have now closed and the 10th and ! 24th Corps are in contact. The destruction of enemy pockets continues. Enemy remnants arc desperatoly but vainly trying to cut a way out to the west. An additional 2032 enemy doad were counted during the day. The Levte correspondent of the New York Times savs the junction of the American forces on Levte has trapped thousands of Japanese Our linos are not tight and small parties of the enemy are undoubtedly sifting through to Palompon on the west coast, hut the majority are dying in pockets under the pounding of artillery and small arms. It is believed that the Japanese commander, General Suzuki, escaped. Medium bombers and patrol planes attacked enemy shipping at Davao and off the north coast of Mindanao. Four coastal vessels were destroyed. BOMBING OF JAPAN OSAKO AND NAGOVA ißerd. 11.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Per. A sizable force of American SuperFortresses today flew from bases in Saipan to strike at industrial targets on Honshu, the mnin island of Japan. The Tokyo radio says the attack included the great cities of Osaka and Nagoya. "A substantial force of Super-Fort-resses from General Lemay s 20th Bomber Command attacked the Manchuria Aeroplane Company works at Mukden shortly before noon yesterday.' says a 20th Air Force communique. "The target was bombed visually and good results were reported. The weather was clear, but haze and smoke partly obscured the results. Anti-air-craft fire was meagre and air opposi tion moderate to strong. We destroyed 15 enemy planes. We lost two SuperFortresses due to enemy action " The Tokyo radio said that 55 Ameri-I can soldiers interned at Mukden were killed or wounded in the raid on Decern her 4. SABANG RAID REPORTED NEW YORK. Dec. 21 The Tokyo radio announced that British carrier planes raided Sabang, Sumatra, on Thursday night. PRISONERS OF JAPAN (Reed 5.85 p.m.) LONDON. Dec. 21 Telegraphic communications with Japanese-held prisoners of war are being opened. Residents of the United Kingdom who are next-of-kin of British prisoners of war or civilian internees definitely known to be in Japanese hands can now despatch a ten-word message to them by cablegram once a vear free of charge. DROUGHT CONTINUES AUSTRALIA'S TRIALS MORE DUST STORM HAVOC (Special Australian Correspondent) 'Kecd. 8.30 p.m.) SYDNEY. Dsc 2ji Only disappointing, scattered rains have fallen in New South Wales during the past 24 hours. The State is still lirmlv in the grip of a drought and the divisional meteorologist said todav that there was no sign of immediate relief Freshening winds have renewed the dust storms which have raged inter mittently during the past sis weeks Dusp and haze again extends far out across the Tasman Sea, impairing visibility over a large area. Official reports are still being received from New Zea land of the presence of dust blown from Australia. Freak storms were experienced in parts of New South Wales yesterday In north-western New South Wales n gale which caused an appalling dust storm spreading over hundreds of miles demolished houses and water tanks Aid is being organised for settlers. In Sydney a narrow bolt of the eastern suburbs was hit by a 70-miles-an-hour tornado which unroofed houses along one side of a street. Immediately afterward torrential rain fell, but it listed for only a brief period. PRISONERS OF WAR CONDITIONS IN GERMANY • P.A.) WELLINGTON. Friday The Prisoners of War Inquiry Office headquarters has received a cabled report of a visit by a Red Cross representative to Stalag XVIII. on Octo her 28. There were approximately 1320 \ T ew Zealanders there at the time. Red Cross parcels still constituted an indispensable supplement to the food rations. Although the arrival of food parcels was irregular on account of transport difficulties, there was a reserve on hand sufficient for a month Clothing was good, 90 per cent of the nrisoners possessing two uniforms. Stalag 20A was visited in July, and 70 New Zealanders were there. The impression of the camp was good There is a library of 25,000 hooks, and the work detachments had small libraries, changing the books from time to time at trie main stalag camp. The leader at Stalag 344 has cabled through the Red Cross seasonal greetings on behalf of all New Zealanders at the camp, and gratitude to the Joint Council for their efforts to make life in prisoner of war camps more pleasant. MAORI BATTALION £3OO FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Friday The Minister of Native Affairs, Mr Mason, announced that arrangements have been made through his depart ment for the transmission of £3OO to provide a Christmas dinner for the Maori Battalion in Italy. The amount was contributed as ' follows: Arawa Trust Board, Rotorua, on behalf of the Arawa Confederation of Tribes, £100; King Koroki, on behalf of Waikato and associated tribes, £100; Sir Apirana Ngata, on behalf of the Ngati Porou and associated tribes, from Hicks Bay to Gisborne, £IOO. ORANGES AND BANANAS About 2500 cases of Australian Valencia oranges, which have been held in the Internal Marketing Division's cool store, were distributed throughout the Auckland Province for the Christmas trade during the week. Ketailers in the city and suburbs received between 1700 and 1800 cases. A cargo of bananas which was landed at Auckland some days ago also has been released. Of this shipment, 3000 cases from Samoa were put on the Auckland market and the remainder, which comprised fruit from Fiji and Tonga, was consigned south, it was stated yesterday that the 1100 cases of oranges and 500 cases of grape fruit which have reached New Zealand from Jamaica are in excellent condition. They will be kept in cold storage irv Auckland pending release in the new year.