N.Z. NATIONALS

Grey River Argus, 4 December 1943, Page 7

N.Z. NATIONALS

Expected from Japan “WAHINE” AS “SAFE CONDUCT” SHIP. P.A. WELLINGTON, Dec. 3. For the first time, except for hospital ships, a vessel on the New Zealand register has been employed as a “safe conduct” ship. This was the “Wahine,” which returned to New Zealand recently., after transporting certain Japanese nationals to Australia, said Mr. Nash to-day. An agreement was reached shortly after the outbreak of the war in the Pacific for a reciprocal exchange of British, Allied and Japanese nationals who wished to return to their own countries. The first exchange which included six New Zealanders, was effected at Lourenco Marques, Portuguese East Africa in August, 1942. The only Japanese national from New Zealand who participated in this movement was a former Chancellor of Japanese Consulate General in Wellington. Mr. Nash said there was a prospect that negotiations for a second exchange would be satisfactorily settled, and, in anticipation of that event, arrangements were made by the Government for the movement from New Zealand to Australia of Japanese nationals detained here who wished to return to their own country. Those people would wait m the Commonwealth until such time as an exchange was definitely settled when, together with other compatriots of theirs in Australia, they, would be transported on another vessel with .“safe conduct” to an agreed exchange port. The “Wahine,” which was employed for the movement across the Tasman, was specially marked with a Union Jack on either side, and with the word “protected,” in large letters, painted above the flag. National colours were painted fore and aft on the decks and on the sides of tne ship. The date when the vessel would leave, her course and her speed had been notified beforehand to Japan, which, together with other enemy Governments, had given “safe conduct” for the journey. The vessel was lit at night and this was one occasion when the crew were able to travel in comfort. It was to be hoped, concluded Mr. Nash, that the exchange would not long be delayed and that New Zealand would soon be able to welcome back some of the New Zealand nationals who were now in territories undei' Japanese control. RUGBY, Dec. 2. While information as to the number of British prisoners of war in Japanese hands is incomplete owing to the continued failure of the Japanese Government to give this and othei’ essential information, Sir James Grigg (Secretary of State for War) stated in the Commons that 592 officers and 32,274 other ranks of the British Army are recorded as prisoners on the basis of partly official notifications of capture and partly unofficial notification (including postcards received by next-of-kin). The only other information of British prisoners received from the Japanese Government concerns the death of 910 in captivity.