AFFAIRS IN JAPAN. A NEW ZEALANDER'S IMPRESSIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 88, 11 October 1904, Page 5

AFFAIRS IN JAPAN. A NEW ZEALANDER'S IMPRESSIONS.

BUSINESS VERY DULL. WAR LIKELY TO LAST A LONG TIME. (Received October 11, 9.27 a.m.) BRISBANE, This Day. Mr. John Chartress, of New Zealand, who returned in the steamer Changolia, from a visit to Japan, in the course of an interview, said business generally was exceedingly dull, and was likely to be worse. The Japanese coolies are becoming very insolent to foreigners as tho result of the Japanese victories, but there is no "swelled head" among the better classes. If Japan was successful in the war all foreigners would, Mr. Chartress says, have to quit, as they would be unable to live with the islanders. Even now the Japanese Government does not employ foreigners. There is not a single one to be found in the ijervioe, and all the larger businesses are managed and worked solely by Japanese. The general opinion, according to Mr. Chartress, is that the war will last a long time unless the Russians give in, as the Japanese will never think of calling enough until they are completely exhausted, both financially and as regards men. The Japanese soldiers are poorly paid. In fact, never has there been such a cheap army put in the field before. Some of the Russian shells fired from Port Arthur were opened, and found to be half filled with sand. This discovery induced the Japanese to draw closer to the town. It was expected in Japan that Port Arthur would be captured early in November. Mr. Chartress was aboard 1 the Tsinan when the Russians overhauled her. He declares that the reason she was not sunk was that the Russian boats were overcrowded with prisoners, and provisions were not plentiful. Regarding the great gold discovery in Japan, Mr. Chartress says there was an impression that the reports had been greatly exaggerated.