BIGGEST HAVOC IN JAP. CONCESSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 254, 27 October 1938, Page 9

BIGGEST HAVOC IN JAP. CONCESSION.

j HANKOW'S FATE. I — I Destruction by Evacuating Chinese. FIEES STILL BURNING. I j rriiti'il Press Association.—Copyright. I I ( Received 1 | lA>XIX)N. October 2li. ! Ten thousand Japanese troops landed to-dny from 150 ships on the Yangfse at. Hankow, after which naval and military officers jointly "occupied" the city. Tlu-v were welcomed by a score of j C iiine-e bearing a huge liauncr. Other- ! wi-e tin- city i- practically de-erteil and j virtually cut off. I Sonic lircs arc still J»i i I'll ill jr. 11 if ] biggest flcstructiou was in the Japanese j Concession, which i- a mass of smouldering ruins. Chinese, before the evacuation. removed a va-t amount of portable ;roods which could possibly be of service to the Japanese. including factory machinery, pontoons and even iron sewer covers. At Chungking the Chinese military spokesman states that a new line of defence has been established outside Wulmn. China's policy is based on prolonged warfare. The forces at Wuhun have resisted the enemy and inflicted heavy casualties in the last six months. Manpower will now be transferred further to the. interior. Tragic Dawn in "City of Sorrow." A tragic dawn broke over fhe "city of sorrow" yesterday. All night long the fires were dying down under a steady drizzle of rain. Scores of tattered aiul heartbroken refugees are crouching lni-erably in doorways as Japanese troops pas* by. There are no signs of fighting in tlie city areas, and British and French sailors are patrolling with the Japanese to prevent looting. Scores of buildings are smouldering under a pall of black smoke, including the Japanese Consulate and naval headquarters, which were blown up, The Japanese have promised to guarantee the refugee zones. •Japanese troops entered Hankow > sister city. Wuchang, on the south bank of the Yangtse. this morning, the occupation being completed after bloody -treet fighting. CHINESE LOSSES. Local Community Anxious For Relatives. I PROPERTY ALREADY GONE. "The fall of Canton and its destruction by lire has meant heavy loss t'oi the Chinese community in Auckland most of whom had homes and property in the city." said Mr. Stanley Chan secretary of the Chinese Association this morning. The evacuation of the city wa; ordered several weeks ago. and most ol the Cantonese in Auckland, who com prise nearly the whole of the Chincst community, do not know yet when their families are or even it they art safe. Mr. Chan said that his home wa: blown to pieces before the fire wliei the Japane-e were bonibardiug tlie city but hi- family were -safe ill a village about .'ill miles away. He does not know whether they art -till in the province or have taken re fuge in Hongkong, and. like the o his compatriots in New Zealand, i? ■ anxiously waiting "or new- l>y mail, j Although they are perturbed abom j Ihe danger to their own relatives, tilt j I hiiu't-e have no fear regarding the out j come of the war. according to Mr. Chan They have the utmost confidence it their leader. General Chiang Kai-shek and the people will light the invasioi to the finish. The loss of Canton and other coasta towns was expected, he said, for the; could not retaliate against the long range nttval artillery of the invaderInland. however, the defenders hat proved that tlicv could hold their own as in Jehol and other parts of Nortl j China. Chinese Confident. The Chinese were united, full o courage and confidence in themselve and their leader, and could not be beatei on their own ground inland, s«id Mi Chan. .He and his fellow countrymen ii Auckland hail no fear that they wonli 10-c the war which they wore fightin; ill the iiuere-t s of the* whole Worl! again-t Japan's imperial ambitions. I here could be no talk of pence, hi >aid. until China wa« free from th invader. Before the war began th . ( hincsc were willing to listen to peac , propo-al-. but now would light to th last man. I he Auckland C hincsc v ere regular!' ■ -ending money for the a-si-tance of th i defending armies, each man contribut ing a portion of his weekly income. " SPECIAL SALUTE." [ ITALY HAILS JAP. VICTORIES (Received 9.30 a.m.) ROMK. October 20. ! After a sitting lasting four hour- | the fascist Grand Council, over whici ISignor Mussolini presided, issued i statement at .1 a.m. announcing tha j the council bad sent a special salute t< j.Tapau on the occasion of the Canto: 'and Hankow victories. 'j "The Italian people feel them-elve :bound to Japan by a deep ideological -spiritual and political solidarity whici has found and continues to find it greatest expression in the Italo-< Icrniar Japanese Pact, said the message. ; JAPAN AND BRITAIN. I I FRIENDSHIP DESIRED. ! i i i j • LONDON, October 26. [J The Japanese Ambassador at Londoi I Mr. Shigemitsu, issued a statement the . the Japanese greatly admire the stater • man«hip of the British leaders, who ai j I striving to guide the world in the pat of peace. "T ~>d-je -ill eff.il 1 - to -c'cill a l.i-t.ng l>r:li-a-Ja j-.. ne-e '■ -11 •1-Is i j