WAR RUMOURS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21147, 24 April 1934, Page 12

WAR RUMOURS

* - RUSSIA AND JAPAN NEWS SOURCES SAID TO BE TAINTED It is not likely that Russia will be able to make any serious effort to prevent the extension of Japanese power in the East, according to Mr J. A. Hyndman, a representative of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, who gave an address to the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Mr Hyndman said that Russia had been a more dangerous adversary to Japan before the Russo-Japanese war than she was now. At the present time it appeared thai Russia's military power was entirelyengaged in keeping her own people in control. On account of the necessity of transporting troops and munitions over a single line of rail of great length to the field of action in the East, it would not seem advisable for Russia to make any serious gesture beyond her own bo: ders. It was also significant that Russia was poorly equipped in war and transport shipping. Mr Hyndman said that he had been asked about the possibilities of war between Russia and Japan, and he had read various articles in the newspapers of Australia and New Zealand on the subject. It was evident that the source of all news from the districts referred to was not the personal correspondence of representatives of the newspapers resident in the field, but that the news was obtained by representatives of news services who forwarded dispatches to Great Britain They were there carefully censored to suit the ideas of British headquarters and were then rcdispatched to Australia and New Zealand. "This is rather a serious question for me to discuss," said Mr Hyndman, "but from a careful perusal of the news which you receive I can only make this deduction. If I am wrong I am sorry." Mr Hyndman continued by describing the events leading up to the creation of the new state of Manchukuo, saying that the Japanese influence in this country was undoubtedly annoying to Russia, because of the effective checking of Bolshevist propaganda in China.