ARMED CHINESE UPRISING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 137, 22 March 1948, Page 3

ARMED CHINESE UPRISING

Manus Island Trouble

‘'WILDLY EXAGGERATED” REPORT v (N.Z.P.A.-Copyright). , ' SYDNEY, March 21. Though he described a report on an armed Chinese uprising on Manus Island as “wildly exaggerated,” the Minister of External Territories (Mr E. J. Ward) admitted that certain Chinese had claimed extra-territorial rights. He said that complaints had been received that 300 Chinese, under a Chinese officer, who were engaged on Manus packing surplus United States war stores for China, were committing offences against the natives. The Chinese were evasive when the offenders were sought and claimed extra-terri-torial rights. A police superintendent, two white officers, and a squad of native police had been sent to Manus. Mr Ward added that though the Chinese were armed, they had no grenades or machine-guns, and had not attempted to stage a revolt.

In the “Sunday Telegraph” to-day appears a message from Port Moresby stating that Chinese officers have put many Chinese civilians into uniform and have given them grenades, tommyguns, and machine-guns. It states that the Chinese claim extra-terri-torial rights for four Chinese whom administrative officials want to arrest for assaulting a native. Mr J. A. McConnell, Central Field Commissioner of the United States Office of Foreign Liquidation, who was in Manus last week, said in Sydney that he had heard nothing of the disturbance. He added that there were still several hundred American troops in the Admiralty Islands.

No settlement v had yet been made between Australia and the United States for the transfer of fixed installations. Movable goods, not including huts, had been sold to China and Chinese civilians, employed by a San Francisco firm holding a contract with the Chinese Government, were handling shipment.