Cairo, June 24.
The Allied troops which went through Damascus have occupied positions at Berze, four or five miles Rorth of the town, from which they are now pushing further northwards, ccording 10 militsy circles here.
British and Indian forces, advancing trom™ Merze, are aside the Damascus-Beirut rod, afew miles northwest of Damascus. taliation for the similar Wash-measure forbidding Teave the United ited. Press, the Free French commander, with his eft arm ing, as the result of A wound he received recently, is hard work reorganizing Damascus. He told me tonight that food was being brought in at once."—Reuter, On the coast, Vichy positions about Damour, i0 miles south Beirut, are now within Range of ale Sed guns "Brilish mechanized column, witch reached Palmyra. after. mecting. air and. ground opposition, threatening the important modern air base there, This column appears be thrusting cowards Horns, which would effectively. cutoff the Vichy Torees in south Syria from the north fern forces.
The occupation of Damascus by the Pree French forces, i is reported, fins caused. satisfaction in' Palestine means the opening of trade with' Syria." Flour, riee'-and_ petrol fre already being supplied to" the Syrians and Lebanese.
"A. despatch yecelved tonight from the Base observer in Syrin deserves cetings in Darmascus.
"Although T heard the rattle of machine-guns from the outskirts of the elly and the boom of artillery New Zealand Backs Aid to Russia London, June 24, The Prime Minister of New Zea lund, Mr, Peter Fraser, announced in London last night that after con sultation with his Government in New Zealand he was in a position to state that the New Zealand Govern. ment entirely concurred in the polley as laid down by the Prime Minister: lof the United Kingdom in his broad. fast on Sunday night with reference to the German attack on Russia, and would be glad to associate itself in' this matter with his Majesty's Gov-. ernment in the United Kingdom, 'This is the Arst British Dominion' Government officially to endorse the: "British ald for "Russia"—policy enunciated by Mr, Churehill—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.