NAZI STEAMER TOWED WHILE ON FIRE

Southland Times, Issue 24138, 29 May 1940, Page 8

NAZI STEAMER TOWED WHILE ON FIRE

CANADIAN DESTROYER AIDS BRITISH CRUISER (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, May 27.. The latest addition to Canada’s flotilla, the Assiniboine, while on patrol with a British warship in the Caribbean Sea, sighted the German steamer Hanover. The German vessel had been set on fire by the time the two ships reached it. The problem of keeping it afloat was solved by the larger warship taking the captured vessel in tow, while the Assiniboine, keeping to windward, ran alongside with its battery of hoses playing. After five days, as a result of fine seamanship, this strange convoy was brought through plunging seas to Kingston, Jamaica. The captain of the cruiser paid a warm tribute to the value of the work done by the Assiniboine, “without whose assistance it is most unlikely that the German ship would have been saved.” Great credit is duo to the commanding officer, who showed initiative and ability and handled his ship with great skill throughout the operation. GERMAN WOMEN INTERNED BILLETING ON ISLE OF MAN LONDON, May 27. The Home Secretary (Sir John Anderson) has authorized the temporary internment of all Austrian and German women throughout Britain between the ages of 16 and 60. Hitherto they were only compelled to comply with special restrictions. These women, who are being interned on the Isle of Man, are allowed to take children under 16 with, them. More than 1000 have been rounded up in London. The order affects 3300 women in Britain and many living in Glasgow and Sheffield. The Government has taken over the whole port of Erin in the south part of the Isle of Man for the internment of women aliens, who will be billeted in hostels and boardinghouses, the proprietors of which must cater for so much per capita paid by the Government. Barbed wire and a military guard will encircle the town, leaving the women the use of the beach, tennis courts and so on. A French tribunal sentenced to death four workmen in a factory for sabotage. Two others were sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment. A Marseilles message says that the police have arrested 200 members of the fifth .column. The woman charged in the Dublin parachute case is Iseult Gonne Stuart, of Largh Castle, County Wicklow, the wife of Mr Francis Stuart, a Queens-land-born journalist and writer of Irish descent.

TRAINING OF PILOTS IN AMERICA MR ROOSEVELT SEEKS APPROPRIATION WASHINGTON, May 27. The President (Mr Franklin D. Roosevelt) asked Congress for a supplementary appropriation of £6,400,000 to train civilian pilots under the civil aeronautics authority. Mr Henry Morgenthau, Secretary to the Treasury, said that the machine tool industry must supply at least £40,000,000 worth of new tools for the defence programme, making it possible—although not probable—that the 1942 motorcars would be the same as those of 1941. This an official of one of the largest motor-car manufacturers had assured Mr Morgenthau the industry was willing to do :f it were necessary. BRITISH DRIVE FOR ARMAMENTS (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, May 27. In response to the Government appeal, a great national speed-up of war material production was launched during the week-end and from every part of the country reports show that the response to the appeal was wholeheartedly fulfilling the promise of thousands of telegrams from factories received by the Ministry of Supply. They stated that work would continue without interruption throughout the week-end. A report from one ordnance factory near London stated: “We had put up our production 30 per cent, even before this appeal was made. Now we shall put it up another 20 per cent.” Typical of the experiences' elsewhere was that of one "armaments factory in the- Midlands, which reported that 13,000 men and women worked side by side from 8 a.m. till 7.30 p.m., when they finished, and another shift of 13,000 moved in to take over the machines. Similar reports come from other centres. Everywhere .a big drive is on. ■