SECRET AGREEMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 July 1940, Page 5

SECRET AGREEMENT

BETWEEN BRITAIN & U.S.A. ALLEGED BY JAPANESE PAPER. CONCERNING PACIFIC NAVAL PLANS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) TOKIO, July 3. According to the "Asahi Shimbun a large-scale Anglo-American secret naval agreement, covering the Pacific Ocean will shortly be concluded. Hong Kong, Singapore. Darwin and Honolulu will become joint Anglo-Ameri-can bases. BLOCKADE DENIED STATEMENT OF JAPANESE AIMS. HONG KONG CUT OFF FROM INTERIOR. LONDON, July 3. A message from Hong Kong says that the Japanese Consul-Gen-eral in Canton, Mr A. P. Blung, is negotiating with the Japanese authorities to lift the restrictions on imports of foodstuffs to Hong Kong from Canton. The Japanese, he said, were not blockading Hong Kong, but were merely severing the communications with the interior since food-stuffs could be imported to Hong Kong if special permits were obtained. He added there was no question of a sea blockade. Tokio reports that the military organ “Kikumin” stated that reliable information had been received that the United States was behind Britain’s stiff attitude to Japan’s demand for elimination of her assistance to the Chungking Government. An AngloAmerican secret large-scale naval agreement regarding the Pacific was about to be concluded, permitting each other’s navies to use Cavite (Philippine Islands port), Singapore, Port Darwin, Honolulu, and Dutch Harbour, and also putting Hong Kong under American control. The journal said that the purpose was to form a “horseshoe encirclement” of Japan on the Pacific. WOMEN & CHILDREN ARRIVAL AT MANILA. MONTREAL, July 3. Manila has advised of the arrival of 1640 British women and children from Hong Kong and also of the liner President Coolidge carrying American evacuees.