WHO SHOT THE JAPANESE?

Dunstan Times, Issue 2989, 29 September 1919, Page 8

WHO SHOT THE JAPANESE?

(Reuter’s Telegrams.) < COLOMBO, August 26. There was a remarkable sequel to an incident which happened to coincide wiih the recent visit of an Australian I roopship lo Colombo. During the afternoon a well-known European resident named Bracegirdle was shooting crows at Mount Lavinia, a pleasant seaside resort, a few miles from Colombo, invariably visited by the Australian soldiers. Mr Bracegirdle had a shot at two crows, and some stray pellets struck a Japanese woman and her brother, who were walking on the beach, and were hidden from Mr Bracegirdle by some rocks. The injury in each case was very slight. * The husband of the Japanese woman, a merchant named Shibagaki, adopted a remarkable attitude, however. Hurrying lo the police station, in a slate of great excitement, be complained that Australian soldiers had chased his wife, and deliberately shot her. Dissatisfied with the police, attitude, he hastened to the Queen’s Hotel. The (Jovernor was away, but his A.TKC. heard the story, and the strictest inquiry was instigated. Captain Neill, of the Australian Provost Corps, and the Superintendent of the Police soon established that the Australian soldiers had nothing what ever to do with the incident, with the police magistrate, he visited Mount Lavinia to-day, where the incident was reconstructed, and the stories of eve-witnesses were taken.

The proceedings were conducted in private, but 1 (the representative of Renter’s Agency) am in a position to say that it was again demonstrated beyond all shadow of doubt that the Australians had absolutely nothing to do with the matter. Tlie peculiar attitude of Shibagaki caused indignation among the residents, who strongly resent unjust charges being recklessly made against the Australian soldiers, whose conduct was in every way exemplary. Shibagaki has a brother in the Japanese. Navy, and his wife is a neaf relative of Prince Saionji, who was leader of the Japanese Peace Delega(ion.

Shibagaki says that he is determined to make an international matter of the incident. Mr Bracegirdle then camel forward and stated that he only had handled a gun, and that no Australian was even near him. He apologised to Shibagaki, but the latter refused to accept his apology, persisting that his wife had been shot deliberately by the Australian soldiers. The clearest evidence to the contrary was swept aside by him, and he cabled at. length to the Japanese Government for redress. As a result of his persistent complaints, the Japanese Consul at Bombay: has now arrived in Colombo, and