QUESTION IN COMMONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 38, 15 February 1939, Page 7

QUESTION IN COMMONS

. (British Official Wireless} Received Feb. 14, 5.5 p.m. RUGBY, Feb. 13. Mr. Chamberlain was asked in the House of Commons if he was aware that Japanese had landed at Haman and whether he would immediately consult with France with a view to joint protection of British and French interests. The Foreign Unaer-Secretary (Mr. R. A. Butler), wh» replied, said: 'Yes, the Foreign Secretary has already been in touch with France on this matter.” He added that no reply had yet been received frmo Japan to Britain's Note regarding China. Hainan is a large island belonging to the Chinese province of Kwangtung and situated between the south China Sea and the Gulf of Tongking. It is 160 miles long and the average breadth is about 90 miles. Its area is estimated at 13.500 square miles. From the mainland on the north (the peninsula of Lui-chow) it is separates by the Strait of Hainan, which has a breadth of 15 to 20 miles. Except for a considerable area m the north, and broad tracts on the north-eastern and north-western sides, the whole island is occupied by junglecovered mountains, with rich valleys between. The central range attains a height of 6000 to 7000 feet. The island is well watered and some of its rivers could possibly be used ps commercial highways. The island is subject to earthquakes. Excellent timber of various kinds is one of thhe principal products. The

I coco palm flourishes in the north j Rice, cotton, sugar, indigo, cinnamon ' betel-nuts, sweet potatoes, ground- ; nuts, and tobacco are cultivated. Lead | silver, copper and iron occur, as well ■ as gold and lapis lazuli. I Hainan forms a fu or departmenl |of the province of Kwang-tung * though strictly only a portion of the I island is under Chinese administra- | tion. the remainder being still occui pied by unsubjugated aborigine; ■ istates the "Encyclopaedia BritanI nica”?. The capital, Kiungchow, is s j well-built, compact city. The trade ol ■ the port (approximately £I,OOO,OCX j annually) was formerly almost enI tirely with the British colony o j Hongkong. The population of the * capital and its port is estimated al 152.000, and the population of the en- : tire island at 2,500.000. i The island was first made subjec to the Chinese in 111 B.C. Up to the latter half of tne nineteenth centurj it was infested with pirates, who were a serious menace to shipping, particularly in the Hainan strait, but frorr ISG3 onwards the presence of Britisl gunboats put an end to this danger.