IMPORTANT EVENTS IMMINENT

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1935, Page 7

IMPORTANT EVENTS IMMINENT

MEDITERRANEAN DEVELOPMENTS ATTACK IN ABYSSINIA EXPECTED By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright Received -7.30 p.m. Rome, December 26. ITALY, now that Christmas is over, is preparing for important military and political events which are believed to be imminent. With the public the last few days have been considered merely the lull before the storm. There is no doubt at Rome that Mr. Eden will lose no time in changing the British policy to one of close co-operation with the League of Nations. It is believed > that this will mean the strictest enforcement of sanctions. It was' reliably reported to-day that in face of a possible development in the Mediterranean the Italian navy is preparing for action. Thirteen thousand naval specialists have been called up for active service. Most of them, it is said, formerly worked in gun turrets or powder rooms on Italian ships. Because of the delicate diplomatic situation in Europe it is reported Signor Mussolini’s strategy will be to take the initiative in the military field by pushing operations in East Africa in the hope that he may obtain a solution of the dispute between Italy and Ethiopia by force of arms before the Euiopean situation becomes more complicated. It is thought Marshal Badoglio is advancing the centre line from Addi Abbi to Gheva, which is a stronger defensive position than'the one he is now occupying. Then he is expected to order an advance southward from Makale toward Ambalagi and Lake Ashangi. The Paris correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that the rapidity of the exhaustion of Italy’s gold reserve is indicated m the Bank of France’s return showing that the gold stock increased by over £5,000,000, the bulk of which came from Italy, duringi the week ended on December 20. French opposition newspapers declare that financial difficulties will soon force Italy to cease the war.