Late News DEMANDS MADE ON VICHY

Southland Times, Issue 24755, 28 May 1942, Page 5

Late News DEMANDS MADE ON VICHY

Italy Seeks Cession Of Territory (Rec. 2.30 a.m.) 'LONDON, May 26. Three hundred thousand Italian troops are expected to move against Nice and Corsica at any moment following reports that Vichy will reject the Italian demands for their cession, says The Daily Mail. M. Laval is reported to be agreeable to negotiate only on Tunisia.

The British United Press correspondent at Zurich (Switzerland) says it is officially announced in Rome that King Victor Emmanuel reviewed troops at Alessandria and Turin. Crown Prince Humbert reviewed Black Shirts at San Remo.

M. Laval reported to Marshal Petain yesterday on the result of his latest visit to Paris, then summoned Admiral Auphand, Vichy Secretary of State for the Navy, and Admiral Esteva, Resi-dent-General in Tunis, for a conference. The diplomatic correspondent of The Times says there is a general impression in the Mediterranean region that the Axis is preparing outstanding military and naval efforts there. The Turks are watchful, the Spaniards expectant, the Portuguese anxious and the British Navy alert. Some evidence, however, is of doubtful value. The Italian clamour for French spoils may be merely an attempt to revive the Duce’s withered laurels or exact a high price for Italian cannon fodder, which Hitler hopes to use in Russia. It is hardly the moment for Germany to assist Italy in wrecking the policy of French-German collaboration, says the correspondent. The Daily Telegraph says there are indications that the Germans are pressing Laval for facilities in Bizerta (Tunisia), although the Germans are treading warily as they do not want a rupture between Vichy and the United States, which would follow the sin-ren-der of the French fleet or the North African possession to the Axis. The Daily Express correspondent on the French frontier says Mussolini’s demands on France are contained in a second Note. The Daily Telegraph says the Italians may also be pressing for concessions in Tunisia, first of an administrative character whereby the Axis hopes to insert the thin edge of the wedge without provoking immediate American reaction. It adds that reports that Italy demanded the immediate cession of Nice and Corsica must be taken with great reserve; likewise reports that Mussolini has massed 300,000 troops on the French frontier.

Vichy reports that Marshal Petain will review French troops at Chateauroux tomorrow.

JAPANESE NIGHT RAIDS

(Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.)

(Rec. 11.35 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 27. The lull in the South-West Pacific air war has been punctuated by a resumption of night raids by Japanese aircraft. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights enemy flying-boats made ineffectual attacks on Port Moresby. The previous night raids on Port Moresby were made more than two months ago. The Allied ground defences were alert when Monday’s moonlight raid was made by three flying-boats. Searchlights were used for the first time and two flying-boats were caught in the beams. One is known to have been hit and it is believed that it was unable to recross the mountain range back to its base. Most of the bombs fell in the jungle. Two flying-boats made a raid on Tuesday. Whether these were the two remaining from Monday’s raid is not known, but no damage was, done. No official statement has been made about the base from which the flying-boats operated, but it is believed to have been Rabaul or Lae. Rabaul has been used extensively by the enemy as a flyingboat base.

While enemy daylight bombing has ceased temporarily, increased Japanese fighter activity is evident. An official announcement that Allied fighters on patrol over New Guinea encountered 16 .Zeros and shot down three of them for the loss of one machine follows earlier information that the enemy has been sending up heavy fighter screens at Lae and Rabaul to protect these bases from constant Allied bombing attacks.