NO MOVE IN BURMA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 226, 23 August 1945, Page 5

NO MOVE IN BURMA

ENVOYS EXPECTED HOURLY. ALLIES NOT RELAXING. (Bee. 11.25 a.m.) RANGOON, Aug. 22 Surrender envoys who are exr pec-ted hourly from General Te- * rauchi, Commander-in-Chief of the k Japanese southern army, have not yet arrived. There is no relaxation of .British defensive measures.. The Singapore radio has stated that the “Cease Fire” order has not yet been issued in the Asiatic southern regions. Therefore any Allied air, sea or land approach might lead to an unfortunate incident. Perfect order was being maintained on Singapore, where the Japanese forces were hearing the entire responsibility for the safety of the public. Every possible effort is being made to carry out the Emperor’s wishes, but it is learned that the fighting spirit and morale have been kept very high throughout from officers down to privates. The Imperial emissary hearing the Em--peror’s orders arrived at Japanese headquarters today.

A paratroop battalion of 1000 men will represent Australia at the handing over of Singapore, said the Minister for the Army (Mr Forde). This force is apart from the two Australian brigades to share in the occupation of Japan. Mr Forde said the men had been specially trained in parachute work and were now stationed in North Queensland. French forces including Maquis, veterans of the European war, are waiting in Ceylon to lead the reoccupation forces into Indo-China under General Blaizot. The Dutch similarly are ready to send delegates with the British forces, who will shoulder most of the burdens of reoccupying the Netherlands East Indies. A Manila announcement that British and Australian forces will reoccupy all the islands south or the Philippines indicates that Admiral Mountbatten’s conynand has been extended to include Java and other islands south to Timor. China will undertake the responsibility for the military administration of the northern zone of Indo-China and the South-East Asia Command the substantially larger southern zone, says the Press Association’s diplomatic correspondent. . This arrangement, which follows talks between Britain, America, China and France, is purely provisional as France at the moment is not physically able to take over the territory. French military experts will be attached to the staffs of both Administrations. fhe d “™tion of the Military Governments depends on the to be done in disarming and expatriating the Japanese. Attei this the French civil Administration will take charge. p The Chinese will occupy a small portion of Thailand according to the surrender terms proposed .bv Gr«Bneial Ying-chin, says the Association liess correspondent in Chungking*