RESISTANCE BY CHINA

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22198, 15 September 1937, Page 9

RESISTANCE BY CHINA

MOBILISATION SEEN IN JAPAN NEW ZEALAND VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS ITHE PRESS Special Service] AUCKLAND, September 14. An impression that Japan would find China lull oi: hostility unci determined to fitfht to a finish was gained by Mr T. B. Booth, a retired Hamilton businessman, during a tour of the East. Mr Booth returned to Auckland to-day by the Maetsuycker. Mr Booth travelled fairly extensively in China and Japan, and it was during his visit that hostilities, in the form of loose fighting, broke out in Peiping. Leaving his ship on the journey north at Kobe, Mr Booth travelled about 1000 miles overland to Yokohama and Tokyo. Everywhere troops were on the move, and at most of the stations through which the train passed detachments were leaving amid scenes of wild enthusiasm. Men were concentrated in Kobe, and on his return journey south Mr Booth saw a troopship leaving port heavily laden with men. The vessel was given a raucous farewell, the siren of every ship in the harbour blaring as she passed down stream. "It was obvious that Japan had been making provision for a long time for the struggle that has now eventuated," said Mr Booth, "and she is now well prepared. There were some doubts expressed in the East as to her financial stability, but whether or not this is so she means business." Mr Booth added that last month there was no great military activity to be seen by the tourist apart from the movement of troops and the exceptionally busy condition of they main Japanese ports. Mr Booth described the beauty of the buildings in the civic centre in Shanghai, which was now extensively damaged by the warfare in the city. Everywhere in China there was extreme bitterness against the Japanese intentions, but in the military preparations there appeared to be a lack of organisation. Old generals who had served in previous engagements were being brought back into service, but it seemed difficult 1o nersuade them to pull together. It was this lack of concerted effort that constituted China's chief '.rouble. There was no dearth of "ighting men available, and with thr general feeling very hostile to Japan the Chinese had expressed their determination to fight to a finish. There was also apparent throughout the East a strong suggestion of Russian intervention. The extension of warfare to Shanghai itself was brought about in somewhat peculiar circumstances, Mr Booth said. The Japanese flagship moored in the Whangpoo river near the consulate had been the proposed target for some Chinese bombing aeroplanes, but instead the bombs were dropped all over the International Settlement, causing considerable damage and bringing about Japanese anti-aircraft reprisals. It was stated that the bombing was caused by a fault in ' the undergear of the aeroplanes. J WOUNDING OF BRITISH j AMBASSADOR ■ SECOND JAPANESE NOTE TO j BE SENT ! ' | I TOKYO, September 13. | A Foreign Office spokesman stated j that the Japanese have made fur- [ ther inquiries into the wounding of i the British Ambassador (Sir Hughe ; Kna' hbull-Hugessen), but theyj have been unable to trace the source of the attack. He added that a sec- \ ond Note to Britain was being pre- j pared. . j Mr Howe, who is at present in charge of the British Embassy, has ! apprised the Japanese of his inten- j tion to traverse on October 14 the I same route over which Sir Hughe ; Knatchbull-Hugessen was travelling when he was wounded. , CHOLERA EPIDEMIC j SPREADING • i DEATHS OF CHINESE REFUGEES; IN SHANGHAI j (Received September 14, 7.30 p.m.) ! SHANGHAI, September 13. The cholera epidemic is spreading. The cases now number 450 in the French Concession and 79 in the International Settlement. Sixty of these have been fatal. Most of the victims were Chinese refugees.