CHINA’S TROUBLES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20137, 5 January 1940, Page 2

CHINA’S TROUBLES

JAPS. AGGRESSIVE PRESSURE ON MISSIONS BRITISH COMPELLED TO GO - Since July pressure on British missionaries in provinces in North China had been increased by the Japanese, and many were being forced to leave the country, stated the Rev. R. D. Lord, of the Church of England Mission, Yen Chow, Shantung, who recently arrived at Auckland. He stated that he had been compelled to leave his post owing to Japanese pressure applied through Chinese in occupied areas. Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and English missionaries were being compelled to leave, but Americans were not molested, said Mr. Lord. He had left Yen Chow in July, but had been stationed on the coast until November, leaving then to join members of his family who were in New Zealand.

It was hoped by the missionaries who had been compelled to leave that it would be possible to return within six months, though it was realised that this depended entirely upon the international situation and the attitude to the British

Propaganda and other opposition was directed against the missionaries by two organisations known as thP Anti-British Society and. the New People’s Society, said Mr. Lord. As a result of the tactics the work of many of the stations had been seriously hampered: The station at Taian had been closed and the mission staff and Chinese in the compound dispersed. At Yen Chow the Chinese staff was carrying on, awaiting the return of the missionaries.