IN NORTH CHINA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 39, 25 November 1937, Page 5

IN NORTH CHINA

PLANS FOR AUTONOMY. JAPANESE BEGIN PARTITION. DIVISION INTO SMALL AREAS. (United Press Association—Copyright.! TOKIO, November 24. The correspondent of the Domei News Agency reports “a burning desire for autonomy’’ in North China, indicating that the Japanese partition of this area has already begun, stimulated by the Federated Commission organised at Kalgan, which is already co-operating to establish a Bank of Mongolia. The federation will control an area containing 150,000,000 souls, including Tientsin and Taiyuan; but none of the autonomous areas will be large enough to support a war lord with a formidable army. AN APPEAL TO CATHOLICS. SUPPORT JAPANESE “CRUSADE.” (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) TOKIO, November 24. Rear-Admiral Yamamoto, accompanied by Mr’ Shibasaki, formerly a vice-con-sul at Los Angeles, have gone to Rome on a special mission to appeal to Catholics throughout the 'world to support the Japanese “crusade” in China against Communist penetration. They will visit the Vatican and other European countries. The newspaper “Niclii Nichi Shimbuii” says that Japan now means to dominate the whole of China. CEASED PUBLICATION. CHINESE PAPERS AT SHANGHAI. SHANGHAI, November 23. Japan has notified the Powers of her intentions towards the Interaiational Settlement in Shanghai, the police of*which have given unofficial advice leading to the cessation of publication by five leading Chinese newspapers and the official Chinese news agency. THE NINE-POWER CONFERENCE. SLIGHTLY CHANGED DECLARATION. .(Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) BRUSSELS, November 24. The Nine-Power Conference adopted a slightly modified declaration that the validity of principles cannot be destroyed by force, reaffirming the principles of the Nine-Power Treaty as the basis of essential world peace, urging, in their own and world interests, prompt suspension of hostilities and resort to peaceful processes. The Chinese delegate (Dr. Wellington Koo) accepted the joint declaration, but deplored the failure of the Conference to take concerted action to restore peace. Mr Norman Davis (United States) emphasised that the Conference was merely going into recess. It would resume its peace efforts later. He was going to the United States to consult the Government regarding the next steps. Mr Davis declined Mr Chamberlain’s invitation to visit London to continue the "discussions on the Far East problem. He said: “I am hurrying home for personal reasons.” THE CONFERENCE ADJOURNED. REASSEMBLY INDEFINITE, (Received This Day, 1.45 p.m.) November 24. The Brussels correspondent of “ The Times” says that the Nine-Power Conference adjourned indefinitely after the adoption of a declaration unanimously, with the exception of Italy, which opposed it. The declaration provides for resumption whenever the chairman or any two members consider the deliberations can advantageously bo resumed.

NEW ZEALANDER'S EXPERIENCE. WELL TREATED IN JAPAN. SYDNEY, This Day. Miss M. Sutherland returned to Wellington by the Wanganelia to-day from a trip to the East. She said that the ship she was travelling in, Nankin, was held up by a Japanese destroyer before it reached Hong Kong and was boarded and her papers examined. All the time a gun was trained on her. One night a number of Japanese destroyers were passed and searchlights played on the Nankin. Submarines could be seen manoeuvring around. Miss Sutherland left New Zealand before the fighting began in earnest. “We were not allowed to go to Shanghai,” said Miss Sutherland, “and even Canton was not safe to go to, but 1 visited Yokohama. Instead of the intended fortnight I only had five days in Japan. I enjoyed my visit very much, the Japanese treating us very well.”