RETURN TO MALAYA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 235, 3 September 1945, Page 5

RETURN TO MALAYA

BRITISH CLEARING MINES. OPENING MALACCA STRAITS (N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright.) (Rec. 10.45 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 2. British and Indian minesweepers began to sweep the Straits of Alalacca at dawn today preparatory to the occupation of tho Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Singapore, reports a South-East Asia communique. The minesweepers will have to carry out several days of arduous sweeping before they can clear a lane of safe water for the Fleet and transports which are ready to pass down the Straits to Singapore. Japanese headquarters in Singapore have sent a message to Admiral Mountbatten acknowledging the Allied instructions to make tlie Singaporo Government House ready for occupation by AVednesday. A Japanese news agency says that the Singapore Public Service has ordered all Japanese in the five areas through which the Allied forces aro making their entry to evacuate the areas by this evening. The present police and administrative authorities are functioning until formal orders are received from tlio Allies. Three hundred employees of Japanese firms are remaining in Singapore until tlie formal, handing over of plants and other important city facilities. i The only way in which isolated i groups of Japanese troops in SouthEast Asia can be persuaded that tho war has ended is by receiving tho order to cease fire from their own officers, writes an observer in the South-East Asia Command. British parties aro conducting Japanese officers through the lines in Southern Burma to make contact with units which are not in direct communication with their headquarters. A military mission under General Sena Narong, Deputy-Commander-in-Chief of the Siamese army, has arrived at South-East Asia Headquarters from Bangkok for the discussion of military matters preparatory to the signing of Thailand’s formal surrender. Reuter’s correspondent at Kandy says that although Thailand is technically at war with Britain, the delegation was received as a group of visiting dignitaries, met by Admiral Mountbatten’s Assistant Chief-of-Staff (Major-General B. C. Kimmens) and escorted to an hotel without surveillance. Talks will begin tomorrow on tho location of Thai army units, plans for the evacuation of war prisoners and the surrender of the Japanese in Thailand. Y r AMASHITA SURRENDERS. On Luzon Y'amasnita and four other Generals emerged from the mountains and surrendered to the Americans who are flying them to Baguio for the signing formalities tomorrow. Thirty-two thousand Japanese soldiers, 5000 sailors and 4000 civilians have surrendered at Halmahera and Morotai, in the Moluccas. Japanese troops in the Bonin Islands, in the Northern Pacific, numbering 20,000, agreed to surrender today. The garrison of Truk surrendered yesterday to Vice-Admiral Murray aboard the cruiser Portland. The garrison is believed to number 50,000. The Hong Kong radio lias broadcast Rear-Admiral Hareourt’s proclamation establishing a British military Administration in Hong Kong and revoking all Japanese orders issued during the occupation. The proclamation stipulated that all laws operating prior to the Japanese occupation would die respected and administered. Property rights would also be respected, with rights alleged to have been acquired during the occupation subject to investigation and such action as justice might require.