SERIOUS POSITION

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21688, 26 March 1942, Page 6

SERIOUS POSITION

CHINESE IN BURMA JAPANESE PROGRESS HEAVY BATTLE RAGES | (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. copyright) j (Received March 26, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 25 A communique relating to the Chinese forces operating in Burma, received in London, states that the situation on the Toungoo front is serious. About 1000 Japanese infantry outflanked the Chinese forces late yesterday afternoon and captured an aerodrome north of Toungoo. Chinese forces were despatched early this morning to dislodge them ancV a "heavy battle is reported to be in progress. Yesterday a combined Japanese cavalry and plain clothes force cut j the Toungoo to Mandalay road at | Yedashe, about 20 miles north of , Toungoo. The Chinese forces drove | the cavalry out and mopped up the j plain clothes men. The main force of the enemy, how- ! ever, is still 20 miles south of Toungoo and the Chinese continue to hold their outpost line—Oktwin to Tantabin, south-east of Toungoo—despite fierce fighting which is now in its third day. There were four air raids on the Chinese forces yesterday with no report on casualties. VOILENT OUTBURST DURING HITLER S SPEECH WOMEN SMASH WINDOWS (United Tress Assn. —Elec. Tei. copyright) (Received March 26, 3.15 p.m.) STOCKHOLM, March 25 A violent outburst occurred at Chemnitz during Hitler’s speech on the occasion of the Day of Commemoration for dead heroes. Crowds shouted, “We don’t need war. We want peace.” Workers at the Wupperthal munition factory stopped production for two hours as a protest against the mobilisation of workers for the front. Five workers were arrested. Women smashed the windows of two large stores at Darmstadt. Chemnitz is a Saxon town 51 miles south-east of Leipzig. It is known as “Saxon Manchester,” its industries consisting of the manufacture of cottons, woollens, silks, calico, etc. BRAVE WORKMEN SAILORS RESCUED TRAPPED IN BATTLESHIP (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tei. copyrlghi) (Received March 26, 3.15 p.m.) HONOLULU, March 25 The Navy Department has revealed that 32 sailors who were trapped in the hull of the capsized battleship Oklahoma in Pearl Harbour on December 7 were saved by civilian workmen cutt ng through the steel sides of the ship while they were under fire. The workmen dug through the hull with pneumatic drills all day of December 7, all that night and all next day, releasing groups of trapped sailors from the pitch black compartments which were slowly filling with water. The sailors signalled to the rescuers by tapping the inside of the hull. Many times the rescuers had to halt their work in order to dodge flying splinters from bursting snelis. The Navy gave citations to the 20 workers and one officer involved in the rescue. BUILT UP=SIDE=DOWN AMERICAN PATROL BOATS CONSTRUCTION EXPEDITED (United Pres? Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 26, 3.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, March 25 The Wall Street Journal states that navy patrol boats are being built upside down successfully, resulting in increased construction speed. The advantage of building upside down is that it is easier to weld the bottom when it is facing upwards. The patrol ships are about 173 feet long and of 300 tons. The ships are gradually turned on their keels as construction proceeds and are finally slid into the water right-side-up. The output is one ship weekly. They are made at Bay City, Michigan, and floated down the St. Laurence to the ocean. HIGH SENSE OF DUTY BROADCASTING IN AUSTRALIA PRAISE FOR POLICY (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Cooirrla-M) (Received March 26, 3.15 p.m.) CANBERRA, Marcs 2" A report by tne Parliamentaiy committee on broadcasting in Australia tabled in the House of Representatives today praised the policy and activities of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, which had maintained a high sense of duty in the face of much unjustified criticism. Among the recommendations made by the committee were:— (1) That listeners’ fees should be restored to 21s from 20s; (2) That all broadcasting stations should devote at least 2\ per cent of their time to works of Australian composers; (3) That there should be restrictions on advertising from the commercial stations, particularly in regard to patent medicines and preparations, also on Sundays, when advertising should be restricted to sponsored programmes. The committee was divided on the question of the nationalisation of the commercial stations.