WAR IN CHINA

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 30 December 1926, Page 9

WAR IN CHINA

REFUGEES AT SHANGHAI. RED BID FOR THE CITY ANO THER PROVINCE REBELS. BY CABLE —PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPY RIGHT. Received li.o a.in. to-day. SHANGHAI, Lee. 29. iieriigees -a-ie pouring into Shanghai i loin nangenow, me capital oi the province, aoout iuo miles from oiianglmi. Tins indicates that a Cantonese bid lor possession oi Shaugnai is imminent. Luring the past fo-it-ilight Cantonese- have been busy spreading propaganda among the- Chekiang soldiery and have succeeded in causing the latter to declare their independence from Alar shat Sun Chu-an Fang, tiie Governor of Shanghai, who is thus stripped of a considerable portion of his army. The remainder, amounting to 20,000 are suspected oi disloyalty. Telegraph communication between Shanghai and Hangchow is interrupted. Fighting is reported between General Sun Ohu-an Fang’s forces of Oliekiangites, who are virtually Red, and the Shantung army, at present stationed at Nanking, the Ya-ngtsze railway terminus, and which was expected to rush to- Shanghai to prevent the entry of the Cantonese. This is not expected to transpire. According to- private information, -stating that one of Sun Gillian Fang’s subordinates is stationed midway on the railway, commanding a sizeable force, which threatens to prevent the advance of the Shantungese. the result of the long standing grudge, an outcome of -a former inter-provincial war. Shanghai’s chief concern will now be probable disorders and lootings at the hands of Sun Ohiian Fang’s undisciplined troops, retreating from the Cantonese. Much anxiety is felt- by merchants -and shopkeepers outside the settlements. The cruiser Enterprise, from flic Mediterranean, is due at- Shanghai on Saturday. The foreign vessels in the Yangt-sze gorges have again been subjected to attacks from the banks occupied bv leaderless troops. The services have been suspended. BRITISH MEMORANDUM. ATTITUDE OF THE POWERS. Received 11.5 a.m. to-day. LONDON, Dec. 29. Although the Government has not yet received any official replies to the British memorandum to China, it is semi-officially stated that it is acceptable to Italy, Belgium, and the United States, while France maintains an attitude of reserve and Japan is inclined to be critical. All the Chinese parties, though not enthusiastic, are likely to accept it, particularly the proposals relating to the immediate imposition of the Washington surtaxes.