STRONG AS EVER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 66, 18 March 1936, Page 7

STRONG AS EVER

ABYSSINIAN RESISTANCE NO SURREDER OF TERRITORY ITALIAN COMMUNIQUES ISSUED AS PROPAGANDA fDy Telegraph—Press Association—Cup yrlgrh; Received March 17, 10.20 p.m. PARIS, March 17. Abyssinia refuses direct negotiation with Italy and insists that any peace pourparlers take place through the League, from which she expects full help without delay under Article 16 of the -Covenant. Ihe Ethiopian Legation insists that the Abyssinian lighting power and resistance is as strong as ever and declares that the Italian communiques are issued coincidentally with the League meetings in order to induce the world to believe that further help for Abyssinia is useless. Peace is impossible while Italy occupies a fool of A byssinian territory. HEAVY FIGHTING ATTEMPT TO ENCIRCLE ITALIAN TROOPS I hc.-e:\ cd March 17, 9.55 p.m. ADDIS ABABA, March 16. Heavy fighting is reported north of Scelicot and Antalo, where, an attempt is being made lo encircle the Italian troojis. There have been heavy casualties on both sides. The Italian advance is stated to have been so reckless that their communications are exposed tn Abyssinian raiders. BOMBING OF RED CROSS THE ITALIAN VERSION STATEMENT IX COMMONS 1 British Official Wireleae. I RUGBY, March 16. Lord Cranborne, in the House of Commons, in his answer regarding tne representations made to the Italian Government on the bombing of the British ambulance on March -1, said that, as far as could be judged from the summary of the Italian replv telegraphed by the British Ambassador, the Italian Government admitted the bombing of an encampment furnished with at least one Red Cross sign. Regarding the claim that the bombing was in retaliation for opening lire on Italian aircraft, from the encampment, Lord Cranborne said that there were considerable discrepancies between the Italian account and the report previously communicated bv Dr. Melly, of the British Red Cross unit. He assured the House that the matter Ibe pursued with the Italian Governj merit with the utmost as soon i as Dr. Molly 's comments had been ob-

MISSION DOCTOR'S COMMENT ITALIAN BARBARITY MELBOURNE, Mar.-h 17. Dr. (?. J. Rolls, home director f'u Australia ami New Zealand for th Soudan Interior and Nubian ITontic Mission, arrived at Melbourne afte spending six months in Abvssini supervising the Red Gross units at th front. He is convinced that Italy wi n<‘vor conquer Abyssinia and that th Italians and not the Abyssinians nee ci vi I;si ng. Dr. Rolls, who left Addis Ababa Jas month, said that the reports of crust ing Italian victories in Northern Abv? sinia were ridiculous. Italy’s positio was now almost, the same as at the he ginning of the war. Italy had broken almost every inter national law. “The women and chil ■lren of Abyssinia are being mangle l'v Italian air raids on native villager Tn one native village I saw a mot he and her three < hildren mangled afte an air raid. - ’ ITALIAN COMMUNIQUE BOMBER'S CREW KILLED ROME, March 16. A communique issued by • Marsha I’-adogiio reports: “A bomber return I ing from a reconnaissance fligh j crashed within onr lines. The crew o live were killed.’’ ITALIAN PROTEST MASSACRE OF LABOURERS. GENEVA, March JS. T'nn Longue has received a prvte.-i accompanied by photographs, froi. Italy in connection with the allege' massacre of 57 labourers and the over seer, .Rot ca and his wife. “Al! of th victims, it is alleged, have been lei ribly mutilated. ’ 7 A recent cable message s.’ated tha Abyssinians held responsible lor th massacre had been executed.