AUSTRALIAN CONCERN AROUSED

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXII, Issue 15241, 6 January 1943, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN CONCERN AROUSED

JAP STRENGTH AT RABAUL AIR BLOWS AT SHIPPING. GREATER NAVAL ACTIVITY URGED. i United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph— Copyright. NEW YORK, Jan. 4 The large concentration of Japan- | ese warships and transports despatched to Rabaul has aroused concern at tii e possibility of a new Japanese move against Port Moresby or Guadalcanal-, says the New York Herald - Tribune’s correspondent, Lewis Sebring, in a copyrighted despatch from somewhere in Australia. He adds that six aerial attacks against Rabaul within the past ten days indicates the seriousness with which the Allied Commands in the Southwest Pacific regard the Japanese naval concentration which totals fifteen vessels, including a large cruiser. Hy points out that in order to forestall a powerful Japanese naval -drive the Alhes must place greater naval strength in the waters north of New Guinea than has been apparent there during tlie land campaign iu New Guinea since the seemingly unhampered movements of Japanese naval units show that the enemy controls those watersr Allied strategy is stated to be alive *-r> the danger of fresh Papuan invasion attempts by concentration of enemy merchantmen transports and warships at RabauT, says the Press Association’s Sydney correspondent. Our air force has again raided Gasmata. La e and Finscliafen. At Lae. Marauders destroyed three grounded Japanese aircraft