CAPTURED GERMANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 February 1940, Page 5

CAPTURED GERMANS

BRITAIN OFFERS TO RELEASE NINE UNSUITABLE FOR MILITARY SERVICE. STATEMENT BY LORD HALIFAX. The Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, made a statement in the House of Lords regarding the Asama Maru incident, states a Daventry broadcast. It had been found, after an investigation, that some of the 21 men who had been taken from the Japanese steamer Asama Maru were relatively unsuitable for military service. While reserving all legal rights, Britain was prepared to release nine of these men, who would be handed over to the appropriate Japanese authorities in due course. Japan had instructed her shipping lines to refuse to carry belligerents of military age. and this would avoid a repetition of a similar incident in the future. A statement on the same lines was also made in the House of Commons by Mr Nevlile Chamberlain.

The correspondence between Britain and Japan concerning the incident is published in a White Paper. This shows that Japanese opinion received a great shock when the delivery of the 21 Germans was demanded. Britain, on her part, was surprised that Japanese feeling had been hurt as the action was not an unfriendly one whatsoever. Britain was merely exercising her rights as a belligerent. OFFER REJECTED RELEASE OF ALL THE MEN WANTED. JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER’S REPLY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, February 5. A message from Tokio states that the Foreign Minister, Mr Arita, told the Upper House that Britain has agreed to release nine of the Germans seized from the Japanese steamer Asama Maru last month, but Japan has rejected the offer, and she is continuing to negotiate for the release of all 21 Germans. TIENTSIN BLOCKADE .FOOD SHORTAGE RELIEVED. In Tientsin on Monday morning the Japanese allowed three truck loads of food to enter the British concession and relieve the shortage, which has been acute for some days.—By radio. NYASSA STOPPED SIX GERMANS TAKEN OFF. (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) CAPE TOWN, February 6. A British warship intercepted the Nyassa and removed and landed six Germans under a military guard.

LEGAL VIEW MAINTAINED

HOPES OF AVOIDING FURTHER INCIDENTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, February 6. Questioned <n the House of Lords regarding the Asama Maru incident, the Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, referred to M Arita’s statement in Tokio today regarding negotiations which had been proceeding, between the British and Japanese governments and said the correspondence would be laid before Parliament tonight. Lord Halifax added: “It has been found on investigation into the training and antecedents of 21 of the men removed from the Asama Maru that some are relatively unsuitable for military service, and while reserving all its legal rights, the British Government is accordingly prepared to release nine men, who will be handed over to the appropriate Japanese authorities in due course. Meanwhile, Japanese shipping authorities have been instructed in future to refuse a passage to any individual of a belligerent country who is embodied in an armed force or is suspected of being so embodied. While the British Government has maintained its view of the legal posiiton in this matter. it is anticipated that such incidents as that in connection with the Asama Maru will be avoided in the future."