Tur&ing Churchill to Syria. Mr čeclared:—- "The advance in Syria is progressing favourably. We have no territorial designs in Syria as anywhere else in French territory. We seek no colonies or advantages for ourselves in this war.
"The Syrian campaign would have been useless until the defence of Egypt was sound. I was very glad when General Wavell reported that he was in a position to begin the Syrian advance.
"Productivity in British factories ix not falling off at an alarming rate,' as stated by Mr. Here-Belisha in a speech."
The Prime Minister regretted that the burden had fallen so heavily on the splendid Ausira'ian and New Zealand troops, He disclosed that British losses Crete were about 15,000 men killed, wounded and missing, exclusive of Greeks and Cretans,: German losses, Mr, Churchill stated, were. 5,000 drowned, 12,000 killed' or wounded, 180 fighters and bombers and 252 troop-carriers, The Prime Minister asserted that German parachute troops did not wear New Zealand uniforms. The mistake arose from German paratroops driving British and New Zealand wounded before them.
"Withdrawal of the Royal Air Force from Crete was decided by the Air-Force Commander in the Middle Fast on recommendation of General Frey. berg, Commander-in-Chief in Crete. Following Crete, many improvements in the defence of aerodromes and the mobility of force had been made, the Prime Minister revealed.
The former War Minister, Mr. Leslie Here-Belisha, was the first trenchant critic. He charged the Government, with imperfect assessment of probabilities in the past and ineffective preparation.—Reuter. zone.
The arrested pickets were released after they had been removed to Fort McArthur and questioned.
Six strikers were picked up later for attempting to obstruct patrolling soldiers. They probably would be released after questioning.
Mr. Richard Frankensteen. national director for aviation of the Congress of Industrial Organizations in a statement, said that in the event that the*failure of certain skilled worker to return created a bottleneck, the C.L.O. would "cooperate with the Federal Government to supply the necessary skilled union workers from organized plants throughout the country Army authorities took the press for a tour of plant. Little activity was seen. for less than 1.000 workers apparently were at work.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.