AGAIN REPORTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 185, 7 August 1935, Page 7

AGAIN REPORTED.

Missionaries Held Captive by

Communists.

AUCKLANDER ALIVE AND WELL

MELBOURNE, August 6

The two missionaries who were captured by Chinese bandits early in October, Messrs. A. Hayman, of Auckland, New Zealand, and R. A. Bosshardt, of Switzerland, were alive and well as recently as July 27.

Advice was received to-day by the home director for Australia and New Zealand of the China Inland Mission that two Chinese Christians, at the risk of their lives, had penetrated to the section of the Hunan province held by the Communists and had been in communication with the two captive missionaries. Chinese informants in Peking on June 29 stated that they saw two foreigners in Lichia, in the south-west coiner of the Hupeh province, on June 17, who they confidently believed were Messrs. Hayman and Bosshardt.

Mr. L. T. Hayman, or Auckland, a brother of Mr. A. Hayman, said that relatives here are still hoping for the release of the captives. A recent letter from. Mrs. A. Hayman, who ie awaiting the return of her husband at Chefoo, stated that a German missionary, Herr Becker, wae endeavouring to influence the bandits to release Messrs. Hayman and Bosshardt. He had sent several Chinese Christians into the bandite territory in an effort to come to terms, and there was still hope for the captives' eafe return.