MOB VIOLENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 192, 16 August 1939, Page 9

MOB VIOLENCE.

CONSUL THREATENED.

Canadian Priests Arrested By Japanese.

BASELESS CHARGES?

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 12.30 p.m.)

LONDON", August 15.

A Chinese mob violently demonstrated outside the British Consulate at Swatow and threatened the Consul, Mr. H. D. Bryan, who had vainly protested against the Japanese prohibition of allowing British bluejackets to land, says "The Times" Hongkong correspondent.

Japanese agents at Amov threatened the Chinese magistrate of the Kulangsu Mixed Court, demanding his resignation in favour of a Japanese Court.

Bombing of South China areas still continues, while the Chinese puppet leader. Wang Ching-wei, is still vainly trying to undermine Marshal Chiang Kai-shek's authority. The majority of the Chinese printers on his papers in Hongkong struck, demanding an editorial change of policy.

Mr. (Jeralcl Parker, who has returned to Peking from Kalgan, where he investigated the conditions of confinement of Lieutenant-Colonel Spears, the British military attache, who is being held by the Japanese on espionage charges, says that Colonel Spears is well, but is showing signs of his cantivitv.

I he Japanese are holding incommunicado two British subjects. Fathers ( ourchesne and Renaud, at Hsuehowfu alter removing them from the Canadian mission there, and charging them with anti-Japanese activities. The priests declare this baseless.

I lie British Embassy lias protested against Japanese interference with the North Hunan coal mines. Japan has rejected further British protests in regard to the C'hiaoshih incidents, but forbade the landing of further marines.

The Chinese Government has protested to the British Embassy at Chungking, condemning the decision to hand over the four Chinese accused to the Local Court at Tientsin. The Chinese Government says the world knows the so-called Local Court is part of the puppet regime created by Japanese aggression.

"Tt is most regrettable," savs the Cliinese Government, "that, while China is putting up heroic resistance against a disturber of world peace, the British Government should have found it expedient to yield to Japan's unjustified demand and allow its own rights and interests in the Far East to be" jeopardised."

A British official wireless message states that the Chinese protest is considered in London.