NOT A STRATEGICAL SEIZURE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 212, 23 September 1937, Page 9

NOT A STRATEGICAL SEIZURE

Our Own Correspondent.)

Japanese Possession of the Pratas Islands GATHERING OF SEAWEED

flTrom

WELLINGTON, This Day. The revelation that the Japanese seizure of the Pratas Islands, 200 iniles south of Hongkong, capture of which on September (5 was regarded as a Japanese move against the route from Singapore to Hongkong^ was really due to seaweed is made by Mr L. L. E. Rutherford, a British trader with long experience in the Far East, who arrived here yesterday. For some time past the Jajiauese fishermcn have regarded the Vratas islands as a place where they miglit freely go to galher seaweed and to lish, Mr lcucnerford deelares.. "Tho seaweed is useful in the manufacture of medicine which has a wide saie both in Japan and China," he said to-day. "Dut a few montlis ago an acutc posi* tion developed because the Kwungiung Provincial Government, %vi.tli its fieadquarters in Canton, granted a liccnce lo a Chinese company ±or Ihe gatlioi'iiig oi: seaweed there to tho exclusion of all others. ' ' The company then lodged a complaint against the poaehing of Japanese fisherinen in the territorial waters. The Chinese officials then took up the dispute and lodged the company ;s protest, which they supported ou the ground that the waters up to the extent of the three-mile- limit around the islands ofE the Chinese coast wero all territorial waters. The Japanese were still deliberating on the matter when I left, but were not inclined to admit the elalni. In the meantime there has been some strife between the fishermen of the two nations. "The islands are a useful prize because they are rich in guano as well as m seaweed, and guano is something that Japan badly wants. They are also not witliodt their strategie importance. They would inake a useful naval station or air base. The sale of the seaweed is estimated to have been bringing m about £300,000 a year, so it is quite a sizable industry. The Chinese were diflident about pushing their claims because they were afraid that what has happened would happen — the Japanese would oeeupy the islands. The extent of Chinese surveillance of the position thus has been limited to an occasional visit from a gunboat. "Thc islands already have a ineteorological station, a radio station and a hrfithouse."