SHANGHAI FIGHTING

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1932, Page 6

SHANGHAI FIGHTING

AUCKLANDER’S EXPERIENCE,

CHINESE AS SOLDIERS.

AUCKLAND, March 29.

The residents in the International Settlement at Shanghai were adequately protected during the recent hostilities between China and Japan, and conditions were not nearly so terrible as the outside world was led tg believe. This statement was made by Mr J. B. Taylor, who arrived by the Ulimaroa from Sydney. Mr Taylor took up his residence in Auckland' five years ago after spending over 30 years in China. In September last he left on a business visit to Shanghai, and was there when hostilities broke .out. “All the fighting occurred outside the Settlement,” said Mr Taylor, “and the only danger was frojn stray aerial bombs or shells that were fired across the Settlement by the Chinese in their attempt to destroy the Japanese Consulate, which is situated close to the Whangpoo River. The Japanese troops were landed in the Settlement and marched through it to their headquarters, but this was practically unavoidable, and was on a par with what was done by the British in 1927. I was in Shanghai when the trouble started and, like the rest of the foreigners in the Settlement, consider that the Chinese are as good fighters as the Japanese, hut they lackequipment. “The Japanese made a blunder in attacking the Chinese with a force of only 700 sailors. They had no chance of immediate success with such, a small force. The feeling generally is that the Japanese used crude methods in the policing of their own portion of the Settlement. The Japanese have very hitter feelings against the Chinese. These all emanate from Manchuria. Everything Japanese has been boycotted, and it was with a view to having the embargo on Japanese goods lifted that hostilities were commenced.

“The trouble started when the Chinese killed a Japanese ‘joss man,’ or priest. A Chinese mill was set on fire in retaliation; then when the Chinese police came on the scene the Japan-, ese police killed a Chinese policeman. The Chinese police replied by killing a couple of Japanese police, and the Japanese ultimatum to China 'immediately followed. The Chinese were given 48 hours to withdraw their troops a certain distance. Immediately the time had expired the Japanese attacked with 700 sailors, and the Chinese stood up to the attack wonderfully. The first night the Japanese rushed through Chapci and endeavour-i ed to take the north railway station. Tt was here the Chinese made a great stand. There was much aerial bombardment by the Japanese, the shells causing great destruction. The antiaircraft gtin® caused some concern in the Settlement, some of the shells killing n number of Chinese. No foreigners were killed, however. 7 ’ Mr Taylor said that, at night the residents of the Settlement were a hit scared, but there was nothing approaching a panic, as everybody was aware of the security of international territory, which was policed by British and American soldiers and sailors.