The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 1

MM TT CGtIUJAv Manchester Saturday March 29 1975 8p 1 smom I 4r4 outh Vietnam April shock on family allowances military chiefs flee Da Nang From MARTIN WOOLLACOTT, Saigon, March 29 South Vietnamese commanders and American officials abandoned Da Nang under fire at midnight last night, moving to a ship in the South China Sea, military sources said. At least 70 rocket and mortar rounds hit the city during the night and early today, indicating that Communist gunners were within three miles of Da Nang. The North Vietnamese army is rolling up the map of the south at astonishing speed. As they move against Da Nang and the other coastal enclaves, what is at risk is not only territory but more than half of Saigon's regular divisions. The loss of these divisions could weigh the odds heavily against the South Vietnamese army in the decisive battle for Saigon itself that will almost certainly begin soon.

Reports early today said that a mass panic had hit Da Nang, with By JOHN CUNNINGHAM The Cabinet has decided to delay for at least a year its plans to paj family allowances for all children. Seven million mothers would have the benefit from next April had the Government been able to introduce the scheme on schedule. Mrs Barbara Castle, Social Services Secretary, is now fighting to win approval for a watered-down version following opposition to the full scheme from Treasury Ministers both in Cabinet 'and in the Anti- Poverty Committee the Prime Minister set up to fulfil Labour's election pledge to help the poor and the low paid. The new version, which could be announced by Mr Denis Healey in his Budget on April .15. would extend allowances to 620,000 children in one-parent i families from April.

The net telephone operators retus- ing to work, street battles anger of some of its own MPs, some unions and the poverty lobby who will insist that any postponement of universal family allowances is unacceptable. This grouping is not likely to be convinced by arguments that the financial costs and operational difficulties in introducing the full scheme excuse delay. But the revised scheme will enable the Government to show that it is helping one-parent families the fastest-growing group among the poor. Mrs Castle is committed to do something for them as soon as possible because, although she has rejected the idea of a special social security allowance suggested in the Finer Report last year her department has not yet announced its solution. But even this limited financial assistance will De gieeted sceptically by the anti-poverty lobby, who point out that it will be taxable, for those whose fN.

VIETNAM VyJ DEMIllTARIS0 Z0HE cost would be about 7 millions a fraction of the gross cost of giving the benefit to all the children who at present do not receive it (about half of the country's children). But even if agreement is secured on this compromise the Government is likely to face the HIGH HAT, LOW LANDING One of the many casualties at yesterday's cross country event at Hickstead. One horse was killed, a number of riders were injured, and later the four-day holiday programme was abandoned. Report, page 19. Earlier referendum Steel closure shock the Viet Cong yesterday urged South Vietnamese officers to defect offering them rewards and top posts.

The agency also said' that the Viet Cong pledged to treat prisoners of war and surrendering soldiers with humanity, and to give wholehearted assistance to dissidents. In Saigon nobody knows on what basis President Thieu and the South Vietnamese General Staff are now conducting the war along the coastal strip. Their attempted strategic redeployment," in the face of th2 superior strength of the other 'side, has collapsed in ruins. But if some of the units in the coastal cities are not soon extricated, will undoubtedly be trapped, or. at best, only the men will be evacuated to the South.

Before such troops could go into the line again a massive re-equipment and reoorganisa-tion effort would have to be made. If they are not taken out South Vietnam would face 18 Communist divisions with a total of only six divisions of their own. Even if the North Vietnamese did not commit all their strength to the battle for benefits hu stings between Government troops, and people trying to flee the city, fighting for every conceivable type- of transport. Radio contact with Government forces at Da Nang was lost at around 2 30 am. Communist infantry have thrust into the town of Hoi An, about 15 miles south of Da Nang, military sources said today.

The Government garrison's radio at Hoi An went silent. The North Vietnamese, according to reports reaching Saigon, yesterday, have taken the western half of Lam Dr-province, including the capual Bao Loc, an advance which will very probably seal the already dubious fate of Dalat, and will strengthen their position, in northern Binh Tuy. Further north, they are moving towards Qui Nhon, capital of Binh Dinh province. In Da Nang there is an atmosphere of panic and confusion. General Ngo Quang Truong, the eom-mv?" of what is left of the Military Begion, had to oder Marines into the streets to prevent rioting and looting, co VHoiAn I DalSt ilay jLl BboLod jCnuonlnanh 5VIETNAIv1 1 Leader 10 By IAN AITKEN, Political Correspondent The Common Market scious of the increasing threat as the referendum Bill to the Labour Party as well poses then the result the probably be available on Monday.

If the bill is amended referendum is to be brought forward by about two weeks if the necessary legislation can be pushed through Parliament in time. Ministers as national unity as the debate drags on. But MPs are also likely to welcome the prospect of a substantial period free from parliamentary duties in the lead-up to now nope that, with cam- incomes are above the tax threshold, and that it will in part be "clawed back' from single parents relying on supplementary benefit. Some unions will see the phased introduction of universal child benefits as a failure by Mr Wilson to keep his sidp of the social 'contract, for though Labour promised only to bring in child benefits in the life of the present administration, April has come to be the accepted date of introduction, and Mrs Castle has never denied this. The reasons for the likely paign weariness already be- the poll.

They had been half- promised a few days off from threat from the North Saigon and they probably would not they could still Westminster if the poll had taken place in the third week of June as was originally intended. But it is now expected that the one week Whitsun recess (occupying 'the last week of Inside these shrinking coastal count on a massive initial and, at the airport, the mobbing EBBW VALE steelworks will start its rundown next week, a month ahead of schedule, the British Steel Corporation announced yesterday. Nearly 200 employees of all grades will be made redundant from Friday by the closure of A blast furnace and one steel-making converter. The rundown is expected to continue between now and 1978. About 4,000 jobs will be lost.

Empty pews ONLY TWO people were in the congregation when the vicar involved in the Yorkshire exorcism case took Good Friday matins at his church at Gawbcr, near Barnslcy. More than 200 seats were empty as the Rev Peter Vincent took the service. He was one of the two ministers named at 'Leeds Crown Court as having carried out an exorcism on a 31-year-old Ossctt man who then of planes for Saigon and Cam enclaves are seven of Saigon acivantage, to provide for counting on a county basis then it coiild well be known early in the weekend. This timetable is clearly dependent on a certain amount of cooperation or at the very least, absence of obstruction from the Conservative Opposition. But ministers are now confident that there will be no organised attempt to block the referendum Bill from the Tory benches.

And they believe that the Bill is brief and straightforward enough to debate it without recourse to a guillotine motion. All the signs yesterday were that the Government is right in its estimate of the Tory front bench approach. Nor is there much evidence of a 13 divisions. Of these seven, ginning to taKe its ton, it win be possible to hold the vote on Thursday, June 5. The choice of the first Thursday in June has a double attraction for Ministers.

Not only will it cut short the period of uncertainty it will also offer the prospect of a two-week parliamentary recess during which MPs will be able to take to the hustings. The first attraction is clearly Rarrh. While the Saieon troons have four are already in disarray, in the last few days opened the postponement arc financial and operational. The present gross road to Tay Ninh, the North Vietnamese have begun to White paper 6 Airport under fire 2 annual cost of family allowances is 350 millions. The exert fresh pressure on Chuon Thanh, The most forward position held by the South Viet May) will be allowed to run into a special Referendum rates are to be raised early April to 1.50 for second and subsequent children, in line the most important, for He ordered his troops to shoot troublemakers on the spot and at the docks people have reportedly been crushed to death in mad rushes to get aboard ships leaving the city.

The American Consulate General yesterday and on Thursday evacuated its staff and other Americans and Europeans. Foreigners are also being evacuated from Nha Trang, under similar potential namese in the Binh Long-Binh Duong attack corridor which runs south to Saigon. Chuong with a liovernment election ministers have become increas- recess covering the first week ingly worried about the, threat of June, to the economy and the pound The provisional timetable of a prolonged and perhaps allows for the resumption of inpreasitiErlv hitter referendum rm Mnnrtnv and- three more are more or less intact. The question now is whether they can be out and brought down south for the fighting that is to come. Meanwhile, according to the North Vietnam News Agency pledge.

This will add 50 per cent to the gross cost, bringing Thanh has been heavily shelled and its defenders have already private enterprise rebellion against the Bill among Tory campaign in which the direst and ministers hooe that present backbenchers, Turn to back page, col. 1 predictions of financial and estimates of the length of the That leaves only the House industrial doom would be it to 525 millions and extension of the benefit to all children would double that figure. However, the net cost is much lower because family allowances Turn- to back page, col. -6 count will enable the result of Lords and ministers do not of the referendum to be seriously foresee a revolt from announced on or before that such a quarter when the issue d3ff the count Is held centrally Turn to back page, col. 2 thrown back and forth by both sides in the debate.

Everyone from the Prime Minister downwards is con- Threat to oil ports as Scots join fish war By PETER HILDREW destination has not been disclosed. It is thoueht however New paper clears last cash hurdle Fishermen from both Scotland and Humberside have pre- TPm nic nrill Va c-nrraA 4-Vn4- 4-T- mr rr rl nvfon1 t-VlOii parea a pian xo Qiocitaue sirdie- with fue, and nrovisions for a acti0n to Hull and Goole by gic ports possibly those reek, and crews mav not be stringing boats across the connected with the oil told where they are going until Humber deep-water channel, industry from Monday, in they sail. The operation is to In Norlh-east England where a rpnewpd ramDaien asainst be masterminded by the newly- fishing has been at a standstill, a reneweu Ldiuiw jb formed Scottish Inshore Fisher- Mr Tommy Scorer, a member murdered his wife. Envoy freed SOMALI nationalist guerrillas yesterday freed the French Ambassador to Somalia, Jean Gueury, when they received in exchange political prisoners released from French gaols and 19 gold bars worth 41,000. The exchange took place at Aden.

Too much THE GULF State of Qatar, suffering from an abundance of riches, has cut oil production, its ruler, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad al.Thani, said in an interview published in Beirut yesterday. He told a weekly magazine that Qatar could not cope with all the money flowing in. Babies die TWENTY-FOUR babies died after a fire in the maternity wing of a hospital at Rijeka, Yugoslavia, yesterday. Report, page 2 cut-price irozen coo. inipuns.

Action committee, Of the local fishermen's action By our own Reporter The Scottish Daily News, the secured loan of 1.2 npwsnanpr which former Rea- from-the Government. millions committee, announced at North The men consider they were wiu be in constant session in given the brush-off by the Agri- Aberdeen, keeping in touch culture and Fisheries Minister, wjtn ports affected. Shields last night that selected ports would be blockaded once more from midnight on Sunday, Yesterday Mr Maxwell said "The executive council, at its Mr rea rean, in me uviuuiuua meeting this morning, decided emerged yesterday that the and with 300 boats ready to and they are on Wednesday, committee's chairman, skipper put to sea, the action could escalate their that the Scottish Daily News should be printed in three or now ready to William Hay, of Buckie, met extend to the Tees in addition iour eaitions. it win oe on to the Tyne. verbrook employees have been struggling to launch since the Daily Express stopped printing in Scotland a year ago, will be on sale in about four weeks.

The employees cleared their last financial hurdle yesterday when Mr Robert Maxwell, the London publisher and joint chairman, of Scottish News the Grimsby fishermen's leader, Mr Dennis McKenny, in Aber- the streets within four weeks, action well beyond the disruption of the past fortnight. At meetings in Peterhead, Fraserbureh. and other East The dock authorities at deen on Thursday. The Scots- nrmKhv nrt lnnminrhm were men's militancy nas cieany ati' r. The paper will appear initially with 16 pages', and sell at 6p.

It would cover local, Scotland; ports yesterday iivin new life to the campaigi KWrSnS inshore skippers and deckhands on Humberside, where a block- as possfble vvhfle the voted unanimously to launch a ade was called off earlier in WV? nSl 11 national, and world events. The estimated circulation Mnnlraria armaria nf 1.0(10 woofc unrtivr ttirp-nt nf a yuua icuwiu uwl uiv.a, Enterprises Limited, dug into his pocket and pulled out the is 250.000 copies a day. An throughout extra 25,000 needed to start agreement to buy Scandinavian clear tne boats is preparing to put to court injunction: ie weekend to' sea at midnight tomorrow. No i went to Aberdeen in the backloe of shinning. newsprint has already been On other pages the newspaper.

This means the new company now qualifies for a Government loan of 1.2 millions, on which the whole venture depends. Mr Maxwell made his formal announcement to about five signed. The paper will break new ground in this country by adopting the American method of being available late in the I tetters 10 Overseas 3 details of the target ports nave depth of despair and returned oil supply vessel companies been revealed, but Aberdeen, elated with the support we at Aberdeen have also been Peterhead, Montrose, and Ler- received," Mr McKenny said making contingency plans, and wick all heavily -involved in yesterday. ships already lying off the coast the oil industry are expected Now the Grimsby and are 'expected to be by to be high on the list, with Immingham fishing smacks others leaving the port over the the Clyde as another strong are also putting to sea on weekend to avoid beting impri- possibility. Monday morning, and.again the soned." Arts 8 X-words 13 19 Finance Home Leaders 10 Sport 17-19 Theatres 7 I Travel afternoon betove me puonca hundred workers gathered tion date.

This means that Classified Advertising 13 the City Hall in Glasgow. Later Saturday's paper would be on he emerged from the temporary the streets in Glasgow at about offices of the new newspaper 4 30 pm on Friday, holding a cheque for 125,000 it will employ just over 500 which he handed over to Mr 0 1,900 redundant Beaver-Alister Maekie, a compositor hrook workers. Journalists are Goodies addict died laughing and leader of the action con alreadv on contract. mittee. Mnvmoll whn said that The cheque, it transpired, was almost 2.000 investors had been By PETER CHIPPINDALE Mr Maxwell's own promised involved in this great achieve 100,000, plus the extra 25,000, Mr Maxwell saia tnat an conditions had been met and that ment," told the workers yesterday that the Government had insisted that members of the enterprise gave proof of public he had decided to make up the shortfall on the understanding support by raising 475,000.

meal, his stomach was full, and the laughter was just too much for him. The doctor told me it could happen to anyone. "I can still hear Alex laughing, and it is a lovely remembrance. I am going to write to the Goodies and thank them for making his last moments so happy." The parish priest, the Rev Ian Morris, who conducted the cremation service, said that Mr a tremendous belly laugh, slumped on the settee, and died. "The programme was nearly over when he collapsed.

He was found to be dead in the ambulance which came after we had dialled 999. Alex loved the Goodies, and the programme about Kung Fu and Eoky Thump was one of the best for a long time. Alex him later "Outside myself and the The time limit' imposed by eSfinThe Govern-the Government for raisins the I The BBC is about to receive one of its most bizarre letters of appreciation from the wife of a man who died of laughter while watching his favourite television programme. In it she intends to thank the actors for making the last moments of her husband's life which culminated in a gigantic belly so happy; The dead man, Mr Alexander Mitchell, a- bricklayer, of Brockley Green, Fairstead Estate, King's Lynn, settled down on -Monday for the high point in his week's viewing the zany antics of the three-man team of the Goodies on BBC television. Thump in which Bill Oddy, suitably clad in a large hat, learnt how to dispose of his' opponents with the help of a black pudding, and subsequently proved his valour by taking on allcomers, including the Australian boomerang champion and a leading exponent of thq arj of the bagpipes.

Mr Mitchell, who was renowned in the neighbourhood for his sense of- fun and his infectious laugh, found the programme even more amusing than usual, and started laughing louder and longer as the sketch was unfolded. His wife. Nessie. said yester money expires tomorrow. Three cT people YVSSLSBSJS all waTksl Is" wef was a Scot, ana it ticKiea mm Ji-i Mitchell, aged 50, was a man VuZ XXiiU -fi.

tw trade un ons and local authorise public. It showed that Scot- mnnpv in tish News Enterprises had an ties Put money m- A reflection of good taste BlueNuiifkomSlGrEL right through the authorised share capital of 1 The workers received a tele-million, including 625,000 gram from Mr Benn, the ordinary 1 shares and 50,000 Industry Secretary, saying: employees 1 shares. "Congratulations on your pro- laugh' which was terribly eramme" lnrougnoul lnp 0 infectious. He was a man who Mrs Mitchell said that she enjoyed a joke and his whole had often heard of people dying wayof, Me was one of of laughter, but she never generosity and friendliness, throught it could happen. It's A BBC spokesman said last incredible," she said.

"The night: "We arc very sorry, doctor told me the left side of indeed, to learn what Mr Maxwell said then that, triumpn ana success. 1 am sure day He just laughed too subject to a minimum of that the scottisn uauy wews 475,000 being subscribed, the will be a tremendous success. The programme featured a tnnnt nn ra chirp' anewpr tn Vipartilv and Inn After company wouia receive a-jsesi wiauua. He had had a Ku Fu the school of Ecky 25 minutes of laughing he gave his heart failed.