PRISONERS IN FAR EAST

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 265, 8 October 1942, Page 5

PRISONERS IN FAR EAST

JAPANESE TREATMENT,

! (Rcc. 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 7. Mr Anthony Eden (Foreign Secretary)! in a statement in the House of Commons regarding internees in the Far East, said that information was practically unobtainable from Malaya. Despite repeated requests to Japan no International Red Cross delegate had been permitted to be appointed, and with the absence also of any representative of tho protecting Power in Malaya there was no neutral channel for information. A report had been received from China of the internment of 59 British subjects, including naval ratings and merchant seamen. At the time of the report parcels sent by the British Association in Shanghai had not been distributed. Seventy British subjects were interned in hotels in Canton where they were * reasonably well treated. According to a recent report all British subjects in Japan were interned and visits to them were forbidden. Lists of names of internees had been promised. There were 145 British subjects in eight- internment camps in Japan and the conditions in these camps were varied, but tho food, on the" whole, was adequate, although not abundant. The accommodation, with one exception, was described as tho best available although it was not up to European standards.

Fifteen British subjects were interned in the Netherlands East Indies in May and were being well treated. Nearly 2000 British subjects were interned in the Philippines, but temporary passes to reside outside were granted to men of over 60, expectant mothers, nnd children. British subjects in China and Japan may receive, through the protecting Power, cash advances from British funds for their maintenance. He was unable to say when complete lists of the names of prisoners might be expected. There was no fresh information from Hong Kong.—Official Wireless.