Hiding of Goods from Allies.

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 July 1947, Page 5

Hiding of Goods from Allies.

Allegations that both the Japanese Government and private citizens were still hoarding more than £250,000,000 worth of goods which should have been turned over to the occupation authorities were made in the Diet by a Liberal member (Mr Koichi Seko), He said that black marketeers and the Japanese authorities were collaborating to hide goods from the Allies. The goods included £1,000,000 worth of diamonds, more than £12,000,000 worth of goods which had been stocked by militarists for the final defence of the home islands, and immense quantities of clothing, silk goods,, sugar and gasoline. Mr Seko had been accused of black- marketing by other ' members of the Diet.—Tokio, July 11. “Slave-driving” Alleged

The Prime Minister of South Africa (General Smuts) ordered an inquiry into conditions for African farm workers in the Bethal district of the north-eastern Transvaal, after several farmers had appeared in the Courts,‘charged with cruelty. “The conditions are tantamount to slavedriving,” said Mr zH. B. Wooler, the Magistrate at Bethal. during a Court case. “Twenty-five native labourers on one farm were driven to work with rhinoceros whips.” An English clergyman, the Rev. Michael Scott, who recently visited the Bethal district, said that on one farm which he inspected there were four straw mattresses among 50 men, and no blankets. The men complained that they had meat only once a week. All of them complained of the length of the working hours, and maintained that they were roughly treated by the foremen, both black and white, who always cursed them and frequently beat them.— Johannesburg, July 12.