1940-12-19 — Page 81

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CANADIAN MINISTER'S ESCAPE 2

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CHINA MAIL

FIRST NEWSPAPER IN THE FAR EAST. ESTABLISHED 1845.

APD

No. 92,026

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1940

Price: 10 cts.

LATE FINAL

NIGHT

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Daisy Brand

Australia's Choices. BUTTER

ITALIANS ABANDONING BARDIA

Warships And 'Planes Bombarding Heart Of City

REPLY TO H.K. PETITION

been

A reply has now received from Lord Lloyd, Secretary of State for the Colonies, to the petition of Hong Kong husbands seeking permission for the return of wives and fami- lies evacuated to Aus- tralia.

A public meeting of husbands and all others interested is be- ing called, at the Peninsula Hute! on December 27 at 6 pm. to discuss the Secretary of State's reply, which constitutes # re- jection of the petition.

The reply, which was received by H.E. the Acting Governor on December 15, reads as follows:

Wider British Interests

"NAPIER STAR" REPORTED TORPEDOED

According to the Mackay Radio in New York

yesterday the British liner "Napier Star" (12,000 tons), of the Blue Stor Line, was torpedoed last evening.

Position was given as 58 degrees 58 min- utes north, 23 degrees 13 minutes west. Reuter.

Large-Scale

Retreat Under Way

(SPECIAL TO “CH INA MAIL")

MECHANISED BRITISH TROOPS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE PERFORATED THE POWERFUL FORTIFICATIONS SKIRTING BARDIA FROM WHICH SURVIVING FASCIST FORCES ARE FLEEING WESTWARD TO TO. BRUK AND DERNA.

British warships and 'planes are inces- isantly shelling and bombing the heart of Bardia, which is expected to fall at any mo- ment to the heavily reinforced British arm- oured columns which circled and then broke the town's defences at several places.

GREEKS SWEEP INTO KLISURA

Harried by air and sea bombardment, a large- scale Italian retreat from the Bardia area is under- stood to be under way.

It is understood the British are battling inside Bardia's semi - circular (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

chain of pill-boxes, ma- IN HARD FIGHTING Greek warriors yes- chine-gun I

nests, tank appreciate with all sympathy the terday drove still further into Albania, bat- traps and other fortifica-

"Please inform Committee that I have received and considered their representations and that

disturbance and separation which

by the evacuation measure,

The

has been borne by those affected tling frigid temperatures, wind-driven snow- decision of H.M. Government that drifts and the greatest Italian counter-attack

section of women, and children the conflict has yet produced.

in the Colony should be evacuat-

ed as a defence measure was tuk-

en after most careful considera-

ITALIAN RESOURCES RUN SHORT

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

Eighty-nine trains on Italian main lines and many Rome buses suspended operations last night to save fuel. Meanwhile the Fas- cist Minister for Agri- culture authorised the requisition of all milk produced in the pro- vinces surrounding Rome, to provide for. the needs of Rome's civilian population.— International News Service.

WEATHER REPORT tions in a swift pincer The Royal Observatory reports. push threatening to trap that the anticyclone retains consi- thousands of Italians un-derable intensity; it is moving slowly eastward, pressure being able to escape to the west. highest to the north of Shantung. Pressure remains relatively low It was reported from Budapest late last International News Ser- to the east of the southern Philip-

pine Islands.

tion of factors concerning defence night that the Greeks have occupied the im-

of Hong Kong In the event of ser-

ious deterioration in the political portant Albanian centre of Klisura, comman-

situation in the Far East. They

the part of families' concerned, but

appreciate sacrifices involved, on ding the valley sweeping from the mountains they had wider and vital British down to the coastal plain to the Adriatic Sea,

interests than any individual in- 'terest to consider. The execution of HM Government's decision was necessarily in the hands of the local authorities and even if} it were, true that some individuals were so minded us to fail to sub- mit themselves to H.M. Govern- ment's decision in such critical thnes as these H.M. Government would fail in their responsibilities if they treated such disservice as to warrant reversal of policy. Evacuation was confined by H.M.

• Government to, narrowest possible

U.S. May

Apply

Pressure

limit and they cannot regard al- (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL") legations of racial discrimination

The Greek Legation in Belgrade last evening announced the fall of Klisura, says a Budapest re- port.

The Fascist courater-drive failed completely to halt the Greek of- fensive.

Two of Mussolini's crack divisions were smashed while on other sectors the itallan forces retreated precipitately or struggled against impending en- circlement.

London Sceptical

Budapest and Belgrade report- ed, both without confirmallon, that

as justified: In the endeavour to It was announced in relieve the Colony of financial bur Washington yesterday den of evacuation scheme HM that the American Am- Government have accepted cost themselves

bassadors will be rushed back to Italy and France more than 50,000 German troops Immediately after the have been sent to Italy in the last stance from holidays.

port

Sacrifices

for

fortnight, and that some are pre- paring to embark for Albania and ›reatise ...not! Mr. Phillips will return to Elbya, and others are, remainlog hourly risk Rome, and Admiral Leahy will in Italy, to help the Fascist polica

proceed to Vichy,

to maintain order.

nothing of

• airmen and soldiers

bviously out of all pro- smaller sacrifices.com-

plained of by petitioners and I am.

Little bailaved the "Winited | States Government may be pre London circles express sceptic paring counsel and ald for the|ism of the reports. International French and Itallin ruleem and News Service;: may possibly exert presstare,

corindent once these facts are: mit ately, desire food and other sup

Both France and Italy desper-

plies. International : "NOWE Ivice:

Ser-WEATHER: FORECAST)-Nor

east-winda Trash; ins

vice.

FRIGIDAIRE

THE GREATEST NAME IN REFRIGERATION

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