JAPANESE CLAIM CHINESE DEBACLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 248, 19 October 1937, Page 7

JAPANESE CLAIM CHINESE DEBACLE.

NORTHERN FRONT.

Government Forces Said to Be Routed. COSTLY DRIVE AT SHANGHAI. United Press Association.— Copyright. (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 18. The Japanese Doinei News Agency reports that Japanese in North Shansi defeated the combined Chinese Government troops of the Bth Route Army. Fighting is centring in the neighbourhood of Sinkowchen and North Taiyuanfu. It is claimed that the success, with the occupation of Potow and the subsequent capture of Paoho, which is a strategically important point, involves the debacle of the Chinese in the northern operations. An earlier message from Nanking reported heavy fighting in the Yuauping region, North China. Japanese airmen dropped orders to their beleaguered comrades telling them that they must hold out at all costs and that reinforcements were coming. A mobile Chinese column is threatening the Japanese hold on the PekingHankow railway north of Paoting, but the Japanese claim to have captured the Ksingu-huan Pass, on the border of Hopei and Shansi. The Japanese at Peking assert that they have made further progress in South Hopei, where they have captured Shungteh. An armoured train, the spearhead of the advance, entered Hantan, 22 m'lee north of the Honan border. The Japanese also claim to have captured Paotow, the western terminus of the Suiyuan railway. A Shanghai dispatch says Japanese 'planes, retaliating for the Chinese raids, attempted to destroy the Chinese aerodrome at Hungjao. The casualties included 30 civilians. A Japanese tank attack on Keehiapailou succeeded after annihiliation oi a Chinese regiment of 1400, who fought until the last, the commander refusing to give the order to retire. The Chinese claim this operation cost the Japanese 3000 casualties.

JAPAN ABSENT. Inquiry into Attack on Fleet Of Fishing Junks. SURVIVORS' EVIDENCE. (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, October 18. An inquiry into the sinking of Chinese junks on September 22 was opened at Hongkong. The Japanese ConsulGeneral ignored an invitation to attend. Fourteen survivors, who were witnesses, were unable to swear that the attacking submarine was Japanese. Exhibite included shrapnel splinters and bullets extracted from the wounded. SANCTIONS URGED. CANADIAN MEETING CALLED. (Received 12 noon.) OTTAWA, October 18. The League of Nations of Canada, comprising 3(i participating organisations, has called a meeting for November 0 to consider a demand for imposition of sanctions against Japan. LESS WORLD TRADE. EFFECT OF FAR EAST WAR. (Received 12 noon.) RUGBY, October 18. The effect the Far East crisis hat had on world trade is revealed by tht monthly statistics of the League ol Nations' economic intelligence service says a Geneva message. The gold value of world trade ii August was 3 per cent less than th< figure for July. Not only did world imports decline considerably, but exporti were much less. TERMS OF PEACE. POSSIBILITIES DISCUSSED. (Received 1.30 p.m.) PEKING, October 18. The Japanese spokesman to-day agaii referred to the possibility of peace ii China. Apparently, as the JapaneS' have nearly attained their objectives they are testing the Chinese reaction. A Chinese spokesman declared tha President Chiang Kai-shek's minimun conditions, stated on July 19, eouli alone enable peace to be signed. Thes embodied preservation of China's terri torial and sovereign rights. MEETING OF POWERS. NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION. 1 NANKING, October 18. The Chinese Government has accepte the invitation to be represented at th Nine-Power Conference at Brussels o October 30. New Zealand is to be represented a the Nine-Power Conference at Brussel A statement to this effect wae made laevening by the Prime Minister, M Savage, according to a Press Associs tion message from Wellington. Mr. Savage said the Dominion woul Ibe represented by the High Conimii sioner in London, Mr. W. J. Jordan. Tl I New Zealand Government had receive j through the British Ambassador i ! Brussels an invitation from the Belgia Government to be represented at tl conference. New Zealand was one of tl original signatories to the treaty, ai . the object of this month's meeting w; to examine, in accordance with tl terms of Article VII., the present situ tion in the Far Eaet and to inquire in methods of bringing the present confli to a conclusion.