TIENTSIN PRISONERS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20014, 12 August 1939, Page 6

TIENTSIN PRISONERS

HANDING TO COURT

ALLEGATION OF MURDER

ILLEGAL ORG ANIMATION

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British OiTicinl Wireless.)

Reed. 12. 30 p.m. RUGBY, August 11

Before the House of Commons rose, the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, intimated that the Japanese had submitted evidence in support of the charges against the four Chinese held by the British municipal police in Tientsin following the murder of the manager of the Federal Reserve Bank and the superintendent of customs in April.

This evidence was communicated confidently during the Anglo-Japan-ese discussions in Tokio and, as Mr. Chamberlain stated, it was receiving careful examination. Mr. Chamberlain added that the men could not be handed over unless the evidence showed a prima facie case against them, but that, if such evidence were forthcoming, there would be no alternative but to hand them over to the Chindse district court Prima Facie Case With the completion of this additional evidence, the I conclusion reached is that it does, in fact, constitute a prima facie case against the four accused —two on charges ot murder and the other two on charges of membership of an illegal organisation.

Thus the British authorities, »is stated by Mr. Chamberlain, are obliged to hand over the men, in accordance with, the regular procedure, to the local Chinese Court.

The position of the British Municipal Council in continuing to hold Su Ching Wu, who was arrested in September on information supplied by the Chinese military authorities and has - since (been unrieii detention by the British municipal police m Tientsin ds untenable and he will }be handed over to the de facto Chinese authorities for internment under reasonable safeguards by which the British Consul-General will be permitted to satisfy himself that the prisoner is being properly treated.

The British Ambassador to Japan, Sir Robert Craigie, has informed Japan of the conclusion reached by the legal authorities in Britain and notified them that the British municipal police at Tientsin arc now prepared to execute the warrant of the local Chinese district court Similar notification is being made to ;the Chinese Government. Considered on Merits

The case of the four accused has throughout constituted a separate question, which has been considered purely on .its judicial merits and entirely apart ;from the examination in the Tokio talks of the other local issues. Nor has the delay in reach* ing a decision on this isolated ques jtion had any connection witli the temporary suspension of these conversations Their early resumption is now anticipated, as within the past 48 ■hours fresh detailed instructions have been sent to Sir Robert Craigie. No Date For Renewal Although fresh instructions have gone to Sir Robert Craigie in connection with the temporarily-suspended conversations there on the Tientsin blockade, press telegrams from Tokio indicate that no date has yet Ibeen fixed for the renewal of the talks.

It is slated that this will foe the subject of a conference to-morrow 'between (Major Herbert, British Consul at Tientsin, who went to Tokio to help in these negotiations, and General Tanaka.

It is understood that the instructions jsent.'by (Britain for the delivery of 'protests to Japan regarding the air attacks on'British ships on the Yangtse .River near Ichnng, and against the confiscatory demands of the puppet Government of Honan on the coalmines owned by a British company, were carried out in Tokio to-day.