COMMUNIST ADVANCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 79, 13 January 1949, Page 5

COMMUNIST ADVANCE

Nationalist Defence Line Changed TIENTSIN STILL HOLDING OUT (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright) (Rec. 10.35 a.m.) NANKING. Jan. 12. Communists north of the Hwai River, 100 miles from Nanking, are advancing south from Suhsien, following the defeat of the Nationalist garrison at Hsuchow. This is reported by Nationalist military sources, who said that the Nationalist first-line defence has now been formed near Chuhsien 30 miles north of the capital, * ,

Meanwhile the exodus of officials and their dependents from Nanking continues.

The United Press correspondent at Shanghai quotes telephoned reports from Tientsin that the city is still holding out against furious Communist attacks with no sign that the Nationalist line has been cracked. > • • , These reports said that wave after wave of Communist infantry is being used without success in an effort to crack the defences.

The Tientsin radio to-night said the garrison had rejected the three-point proposal for surrender of the city but offered to give it up if they are permitted to evacuate it with light arms through the port of Tangku, 27 miles away, where 16 ships are said, to be 1 waiting to remove them. According to the radio the Communists’ terms were that the Nationalists lay down all arms within the city and hand over military supplies and equipment. If -so the lives of those obeying tv r ould be protected. Reuter’s correspondent at Tientsin reports that two shells exploded in the Sino-British Kailan Mining Administration compounds, causing one casualty during the Communist artillery action. This afternoon another shell fell in the compound of the French ConsulateGeneral without causing caualties.