'NO PROOF YET'

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 198, 7 September 1937, Page 7

'NO PROOF YET'

-Press ASsn.-

Japanese Liability

HUGESSEN INCIDENT Diet Resents "Insult in British Note" HEATED DEBATE

(By Telegxaph-

-Copyright '

(Received 7, 10 a.m.) TOKIO, Sept. 6. The Japanese reply to Britain regarding the attaek on the British Ambassador to China, Sir Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen, has been delivered. It is understood that it is of an interim character. The details are not disclosed. Mr. Koki • Hirota, Japanese Foreign Minister, when questioned in the Diet regarding the "insult in the British Note", declined to comment. The questioner implied that an insult was contained in -the assertion that Japan had deiiberately attacked non-combatants. Mr. Hirota asserted tliat there was at present no tangible proof that tlie Ambassador was attacked by a Japanese plane. He firmly believed that no Japanese would i intentionally attack a nou-com-batant. Thc British Note lcd to a keated debate in the House of Representatives, A Consservative member, Mr Takeshi Azuma, requested Mr Hirota to ascortain whether the Foreign Office regarded the Note as propex and reasonablej what were the facts; whether it was not a Chinese intrigue; and whether Sir. Hughe, was not responsible for attempting^ without giving notifieation, to pass through the fighting zone. Mr Hirota reiterated that there was no evidence of an attack by Japanese aicraft. Mr Rirota, in discussing the pact between China and the Soviet, referred to the agsurance of the Chinese Ambassador that the pact was negativc and had no seerot provisions. He referred also to the Soviet Ambassador 's assurance that Russia did not intend to interfere in the Sino-Japanosc conflic.t "Nevcvthelese, " Mr Hirota added, "the pact cannot be overlooked. Communist aetivity must be given attention, especialjy after the Bussian aetivity in Spauisli affairs "