CHINESE TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 February 1927, Page 2

CHINESE TROUBLE.

[ey telegraph—mu press association.]

NORTH V. SOUTH. SHANGHAI, Feb. 13.

All the Postal Commissioners are foreigners, but it is believed that the Nationalist attitude is intended more as a protest against the -Peking Government’s right to make any appointments, especially in the Nationalist territory. than as an act of hostility to the foreigners.

Ii is reported from Japanese sources that the Peking Government lias informed till" London Government that any agreement regarding Hankow muse lie ratified by Peking.

THE LEAGUES FUTILITY. GENEVA. Feb. 13

League of Nations circles agree that successful intervention by the League in China is impossible, because at present, no single Government is recognised by the members. A conviction is growing that the only solution will be to ask the (Tilled States to again summon the signatories of the Washington 1 rooty. Mr Clin, the Permanent Chinese representative here. nevertheless, declares that he will represent both Peking bud Canton at the next League Council on March 17th. Fie says: ‘‘Me may have internal differences, but we are united in nm external policy. ’’ PARTS. Feb. 13. 'fhe executive of the Socialist International. at which lit. Hon Dir Arthur Henderson presided, has carried a resolution demanding the recall of the foreign troops and warships from China, and the abolition of the foreigners’ extra-territorial privileges in China in favour of the absolute sovereignty of the Chinese people. FORCES IN CHINA. LONDON. Feb. IT. The “Daily Express” Shanghai correspondent says: The first English troops to land here will do so at eleven o’clock on Dlonday morning, when the Second Durhams and Second Gloueesters will disembark. They will lie eonlined strictly to the British Settlement. “There are how two million men under arms in China. There are great quantities of aeroplanes, machine guns and small arms coining in. They come not only from Russia, which is the principal source for the Cantonese, hut from France, Germany, Italy and Japan. Not a little munitions is also landed openly by German steamers, as Germany is not a parly to the Washington

Agreement.” “The trade in smuggled arms has boon going on on a colossal scale since 1923. including a quantity of Remington rifles and other stores left in the neighbourhood of Vladivostok when the American and Allied forces were withdrawn front there in 1918. The Chinese also have arsenals at Mukden, Hanyang. Nanking, and elsewhere.”

TROOPS LAND AT SHANGHAI (Received this day at 8 a.ni.) PEKING. Fell. 14

The first landing of white troops at Shanghai since the boxer troubles was to-day made the occasion of a great, though quiet, public demonstration by the foreign population when the Second Gloucester and Second Durhams landed after being two tlavs aboard the transports at the dock side. Headed by their colours and their own hands with a marine band from His Majesty's vessels in port, fifteen hundred men of the batiilions in full kit and fixed bayonets, marched five miles from the docks to their quailois through the principal streets. Immense crowds of Chinese lined the route, hut there was no sign of hostility.

NEGOTIATIONS TO CONCLUDE. •.Received this day at 8.30 a.mA HANKOW, Feb. 14. It is expected that negotiations between Chen and O’Malley will conclude to-morrow. JAPANESE VIEWPOINT. (Received this dav at 9.30 a.m.l TOKIO. Feb. 14. Replying to interpellations in the Upper House, the Premier stated the present military and naval forces were necessary to maintain and protect the Japanese existing position and rights. Unless there was a marked change in Japan's international position in the world’s general condition and m other similMi* ci mi m stances, .Japan must maintain her present strength on land and sea. This reply is of particular interest, following a statement by the Navy Minister to the press, in which, after expressing the naval authorities’ approval of the American proposal to limit armaments, he further provided that any agreement, concluded on a fair principle in such a way must not affect Japan’s national defence. The DTinistci* emphasised that the Japanese navy at present is ai a minimum for defensive purposes and consequently menaced no one.