MORE INDIGNITIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 June 1939, Page 6

MORE INDIGNITIES

HEAPED ON BRITISHERS IN TIENTSIN JAPANESE BEHAVING OUTRAGEOUSLY. ARRIVAL OF REINFORCEMENTS. By Telegraph —Press Association —Copyright. (Received This Day. 12.20 p.m.) TIENTSIN. June 23. Fresh indignities have been heaped on British residents of the beleagured concession—spiteful reprisals after the refusal of the British and American naval authorities to withdraw warships from Swatow. Seven Britons were involved in the latest outrages by Japanese gendarmes, including high officials of the PekingMukden Railway, Mr Cecil Davis, honorary agent for the New Zealand Government, Mr R. House, an importer, and Mr H. Lord, assistant-secre-tary to the Tientsin Race Club. The three named sought admission to the former German Concession. Mr Davis was admitted after a formal search. Messrs' House and Lord were question: “Are you English?” They replied “Yes,” whereupon they were thrown into a matting hut and forced to strip naked in full view of Chinese coolies, women and children passing through the hut for examination. Mr Lord was ordered to open his mouth. His passport was rammed in his teeth. His hair was ruffled and he was insulted.

The British Consul (Mr Jamieson) lodged a strong protest and also demanded again the release of Mr G. A. Smith, a British subject arrested by the Japanese. Soviet residents are reported to have been subjected to even greater indignities, especially women, but Belgian and French people have not been molested.

Further reinforcements of British troops arrived from Peking and Hangkaikwan in view of rumours that a coup was imminent and anxiety as to the outcome of an anti-British demonstration by Chinese in the city. British naval units are patrolling the wharves. The Japanese have extended martial law to the Hai River.

WARSHIPS AT SWATOW

ANSWER TO THE JAPANESE DEMAND. ADDITIONAL DESTROYERS DESPATCHED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 22. “The Times” Hong Kong correspondent says the American captain of the Italian ship Roma reports that the vessel was pursued and fired on by two armed Japanese ships, between Macao and Hong Kong. The Roma has taken refuge in British waters. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Hong Kong representative says Britain and America answered the Japanese demands for the withdrawal of warships from Swatow by each despatching another warship to the harbour. The American destroyer Pope raced away from Amoy and joined the British destroyer Scout.