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Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1932, Page 3

THE JAPANESE 'CASE. Japan’s contention throughout hasbeen thrift her occupation was only what was necessary for the protection of her own nationals in the whole province; and the Council of the League, when the matter first came before them, resolved that their troops should be withdrawn “as tho safety of their jiiiationals allowed.” This, however, was not done, but, on the contrary, their troops extended their occupation, and continued on a large scale all those acts, already -spoken of, in subversion of what Chinese authority still existed in the several towns and country districts.

All ' those acts were clearly in defiance of the resolution, and so far put Japan, herself a permamenl member of the league Council, in the wrong. On the other hand, it seems only fair .to point out that the whole circumstances did afford her some slight justification. For the plea was always available that the .safety of her own nationals did not yet "allow” of her complete withdrawal from that part of the. province which lay outside her own railway zone, .and at all events from places where no Chinese authorities existed who were capable of preserving 01 der.

'the Council of the League a month later pioposed that Japan should withdraw .altogether to the railway zone, that China should 'take over the whole province for its administration with the aid of foreign representatives, and that the '.'ltrect negotiations should begin between the two Governments This proposal, however, was once more objected to by Japan, and although it was supported b,v all the other memhens of the Council the objection was fatal inasmuch as under the Article invoked absolute unanimity is esseutial. Herein, again, Japan -seems to have put herself in the wrong. For there seems no real answer to the contention on the part jof China that direct negotiations between the two Governments could not take place under the pressure of a hostile occupation. At last after untiring efforts the Council induced Japan to withdraw ‘the hulk ol her tnx>p s into the railway zone. The gist of the whole matter appears to lie that, though Japan has, in a me.sure, set hetwelf ill opposition to the l-esl, of It,he ■League, she can t" some extent plead “extenuating cii'ciiiiistatiers” in answer to the charge.

front of the car. He nearly cleared it, but hit the inside of the left-hand mudguard'. If I had swerved to the right, to miss him, I would have been on the wrong side.

The Senior-Sergeant: You are allowed to go on the wrong side, to avert an accident.

Coulson said that the boy ran across so quickly that, 'even if witness had swerved the car, the accident would still have happened. The Coroner: Did you have in your mind any idea that, if you swerved, you would he going on to your wrong side?—No not at the time.

| The Coroner: The point was that he came on you so suddenly ?—Yes. The Senior-Sergeant: You put your brakes on, immediately you saw him P -Yes,' When your car stopped, where was the boy —Lying at the hack of the car.

Did you give any warning, by sounding the horn, before you got to; the • corner ?—Yes. What did you do, after you stopped the car?—T picked him up, and was going to ring for a doctor, but some men said it would be advisable to take him to Dr. Ray. I tffok him around in the car, hut Dr. Ray was not in at the time, and I left him around there. 1 Yon don’t know who took Him to the hospital ?—No. Did he seem hadlv hurt?—He was bleeding from the right eaiv' ! He was unconscious when picked up?—Yes.

The Coroner: You say you put on the brakes as soon as you saw him ? Yes.

Your attention, was attracted to the bus. This hoy came out suddenly on you, and what conveyed itself to your mind was to put on the brakes? —Yes. As soon as you saw him, it was conveyed to you that the thing to do was to put on the brakes, and you did so?—Yes.

j George Okey, waterside worker, I Preston Road, stated that he was siting on a form, on the waterfront: side of Mawhera Quay. He saw Coulson’s car approaching, hut did not notice the bus, not looking .in its direction. A boy ran across the street, starting from the footpath, five, or six feet in front of the ear, but the latter knocked him down. He practically ran Into the car. The latter was travelling slowly.

The Senior-Sergeant: Do you think that the driver would have the smallest chance of avoiding him?—No. I don’t. How far did the car travel, after hitting the hoy?—Just about the length of the car. Was the hoy running very fast? — Yes. T think he saw the efir, but he was-too close to it to stop. .He tried to get across, hut couldn’t;.

The Coroner returned a verdict that Woolhouse died from injuries, the result of being struck of a motor-oar, on Mawhera Quay. No blame was attachable to the driver of the car. He was not. driving at an excessive speed; he was faced with a sudden emergency, and he did what his brain directed him to Jo—put on the brakes—but it was not effective.