CHINESE HOPES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 April 1939, Page 5

CHINESE HOPES

JAPANESE BEING LURED INLAND ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL SPOKESMAN. PREPARATIONS FOR CRUSHING BLOW. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON. April 22. The Chinese military spokesman in Chungking reiterates that China is maintaining her policy of luring the Japanese further inland, where their superior equipment is ineffective in the mountainous regions. The defenders will then deliver a crushing blow. The spokesman denies that there is a general counter-offensive, though it is fully prepared and has actually begun. Attacks against the Japanese, however, have been launched on various fronts because of the advantageous situation. The Chinese have captured 70 towns in 20 days, many being strategically valuable. The Japanese in northern Mongolia claim that they are driving west and north after the capture of Anpeh, and are pursuing the fugitives into the mountains. The Japanese claim that they have completely shattered the Chinese April offensive, frustrating all attempts to capture keypoints and killing 10,000. Peking reports that Chinese irregular troops wrecked the Toli coal mine, south-west of Peking, capturing it and holding it long enough to blow, it up, after which they fled to the hills. BRITISH RIGHTS. AMBASSADOR CALLS ON FOREIGN MINISTER. TOKIO, April 22. The British Ambassador, Sir Robert Craigie, called on the Foreign Minister, Mr Arita, and expressed satisfaction that British and Japanese relations in Shanghai had improved during the year, but he did not conceal concern that there was no improvement in the treatment of British rights and interests in China. NEW “NAVY” SMALL BOATS CONVEYING TROOPS. PROBLEM FOR JAPANESE. (Independent Cable Service.! (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) HONG KONG. April 23. The Chinese are developing a new “navy” which is causing the Japanese considerable uneasiness. This navy consists of thousands of small boats, manned by boatmen knowing every twist and turn of the intricate small waterways, bringing up thousands of troops. They travel during the night and remain hidden in the reeds during the day, suddenly turning up at strategic points and completely surprising the Japanese. RAID ON KAIFENG TRAIN & SUPPLIES BLOWN UP BY CHINESE. (Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) CHUNGKING, April 23. The latest offensive involves an advance of four Chinese columns towards Nanking, Chingiang, Huckow and Hangchow. The Chinese raided Kaifeng and set fire to Japanese supplies and a munition dump. Before their withdrawal they blew up an armoured train at Tanying. JAPANESE DEAD. MEMORIAL CEREMONIES. (Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) TOKIO. April 23. Memorial rites for 10,389 Japanese soldiers killed on the Chinese front were performed at the Yasukuni Shrine, where a military procession carrying the spirits of heroes marched past 20,000 relatives in the darkness. The ceremonies, which the Emperor will attend on April 26, will last for five days.