"LONG LIVE FREE NORWAY!”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 85, 12 April 1940, Page 5

" LONG LIVE FREE NORWAY!”

APPEAL TO FIGHT ON DETERMINATION TO RESIST THE GERMAN INVASION KING AND PARLIAMENT REJECT NAZI REQUESTS

(By Telegraph—Press As Received April 11. 9.30 p.m. i LONDON, April 11. A Stockholm message states that ; the Norwegian Premier has issued j? ] proclamation reaffirming Norway’s ‘ determination to resist, the Nazi invasion and rejecting the German de- I mand for recognition of Quisling's i puppet Government. It added that King Haakon refused i ■ to yield to the German demand, the h acceptance of which would transform ] Norway into a vassal German State. ' The proclamation was follow ed by L a statement from the King:— “I fully adhere to the Government's ' appeal and I am convinced the whole j people are with me in the decision taken.” The proclamation reveals that, the German Government had asked King Haakon to agree to a Norwegian Gov- . ernment enjoying Germany’s confi- ' dence and nominated by Herr Hitler. I, “The Government appeals to the D entire Norwegian people to assist its|, efforts to preserve Norw ay’s liberty i and independence,” the proclamation ! reads. “The Government is convinced , the entire civilised world will condemn this act of violence against al small people only wishing to live in i peace. The invaders can certainly | carry out great destruction, but. the Government is sure a new future of freedom will emerge for Norway. Consequently, it calls on the entire people to continue the struggle to the end. Long live our fatherland, long live a free Norway.” The German casualties I. Antares are estimated at 160. LONDON, April 10. U was broadcast from Helsinki that tlw Prime Minister of Norway, M. J. Nygaardsvold, had declared after a meeting of the Norwegian Parliament that Norway would light on. It. was added that the Finns had placed at. Norway’s disposal a radio ' station in the north and that, presum- I ably they had extended the arrange-a

saoclation —Copyright) ment to allow Norway to use the Helsinki station also. It was also suggested that, the Germans might be putting out from Norway through Stockholm, news to suit themselves. Berlin claims that negotiations have begun between Germany and Denmark and Germany and Norway "to | preserve the independence of the Nori wegian Kingdom and its defences and the freedom and independence of the Danish and Norwegian peoples.” | German oificial statements and ‘Press reports continue to report that Norway is negotiating peace and say that a. mutually satisfactory agreement is imminent. The British Foreign Office officials and Norwegian officials In Lonaon deny the report. It is probable that Germany Is negotiating with the puppet Govern[ment, regarding which the latest message from Scandinavia says that the [German Minister in Norway called on I King Haakon to clarify who was responsible for governing Norway. | In the meantime fighting continues in Norway, at sea and on land, despite the announcement from Berlin that “operations for the protection of I the northern countries’ neutrality arc finished.” Norwegians are reported to have blocked the iron ore railway tunnel 12 miles inland from Narvik. GERMAN UNITS WIPED OUT NORWEGIANS TAKEN PRISONER Received April 11. 6 p.m. STOCKHOLM, April 11. The Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet states that Norwegians are reported to have wiped out strong German units at. Elverum. The German dead 1 are estimated at several hundred. Five hundred Norwegians were taken pris- ' oners and disarmed. Th® Norw egian I Hag is still flying over the new fortress at Kongsvinger.