QUESTIONS IN COMMONS.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17170, 30 March 1927, Page 5

QUESTIONS IN COMMONS.

LONDON; March 28. In the House of Commons Sir A. Chamberlain, replying'to Mr Kenworthy, siaiid that the assessable value of land in the international settlement at Shanghai was £42,109,562. Replying to Sir C. Kinloch-Cooke, Sir A. Chamberlain made a lengthy statement on the events in Nanking. He descried how the consulgeneral with the cons'ular party and marines boarded the Emerald after suffering intolerable indignities. The total British casualties, so far as he was aware (although he was uncertain whether the informaition was compleite) were Dr Smyth and one sailor killed and two wounded. A British consular official saw Chen on March .25 and 26, and lodged the strongest protest against the unprecedented outrages by the Nationalist army. Sii; iC. Kinloch-Cooke. If it had not been for the shells from the warships would not every person taking refuge pn The Hill have been Itourdered? Siij A, Chamberlain t There' Is not ;)tbe least dojobt that timely communication with the warships, and their immediate response alone sav--ed the lives >lof the Britishers and Americans. Mr H. W. Loker (Conservative) : Is Chiang Kai; Sheks guarantee for protection of the British one on which we can safely rely? Sir A. Chamberlain : In thie anarchical condition prevailing in China it is at present impossible to say whether we can rely with safety on these guarantees, and we must s closely watch events and judge by : ! performance, not professions. Mr Kenworthy: Is it proposed to j evacuate the remainder of the Bri- ' tishers from the Yangtse Valley? i Sir A. Chamberlain: It is a matter ; | that is under consideration, but it ] j is not desirable that we should is- ! | sue instructions, which should be j ! decided upon by those nearer the : ! spot. v; | I Sir C. Kinloch-Cooke: What steps j do you propose to take to protect | | iives and property? I Sir A. Chamberlain: I think they ■ j are sufficiently well known and, de- ; ! spite much critieism, they are now \ generally approved. / ; The declaration was received ! with cheers. 4