FEAR OF JAPAN

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1932, Page 5

FEAR OF JAPAN

HER QUEST FOR TERRITORY. . , _ -.1 \_ (Uriited (Press Association—By Electric Tel egr aph—Copy right.) IpNDONy October 10. The “Daily Herald” gives prominence to a Canberra cable, stating that Australian official circles have been stirred by a report thta Japan contemplates negotiating for the purchase of the 'Portuguese section of -Timor Island, north of Australia. The message states that the strictest secrecy is maintained, but it is admitted that Japan, in the past, has made overtures to buy the Australian mandate over New Guinea. THE TRANSFER OF TIMOR. NOT CONSIDERED LIKELY. {Received +hi» day at 9.25 a m) LONDON, October 10. Regarding the assertion that Japan was seeking to acquii-e a portion of, Timor, naval experts gays that, with Timor plus the Carolines, -Japan could straddle Australia eventually offsetting the valu e of Singapore. The Japanese Ambassador stated: “We are quite uninformed of such an intention.” The Dutch Embassy is also uninformed. The Portuguese Embassy declared that it was unthinkable that Portugal would sell Timor. Possibly the Japanese contemplated overtures, but they would get littl 6 satisfaction. Public opinion in Portugal, despite the military dictatorship, would not tolerate the sale, and it could be said without even communicating with Lisbon, that the transfer of Timor wag unlikely. FRANCO-JAPANESE ALLIANCE. LONDON, October 10. Whitehall knows nothir.g of the “Sunday Times” story that- France has rejected Japan’s overture for an alliance, and pointed out that apart from the impossibility of acceptance, when Japan’s Manchurian policy is the subject of the League’s review, France could scarcely afford to prejudice her American and other friendship.