JAPANESE TRY TO SAVE FUNDS AND SHIPS

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 209, 3 September 1941, Page 9

JAPANESE TRY TO SAVE FUNDS AND SHIPS

Many Japanese “beat the guar* to save their funds and ships from being “frozen” in the United States. Long queues of frightened Japanese from San Francisco's 50,000 colony gathered at bank windows. The freezing order was not annouceed until af'er banking hours in Washington and New York, but San Francisco time is three hours later. Most of the Japanese apparently wanted to withdraw their money and deposit it again in the names of their American-born children. The U.S. order required all Japanese and Chinese in the United States to subject themselves to a property census. It is officially estimated that San Francisco will lose £ 12-million trade a year. “This means complete stoppage of the oil trade with Japan,” a Californian man said. At San Pedro harbour officials boarded the Nishi Maru and stopped further loading of oil for Japan. But the Daini Oguru Maru left San Francisco with 4.500,000 gallons of crude oil. Another Japanese ship sailed hurriedly forfeiting a £312 bond. It was then announced that the Tatui Maru would not come into San Francisco. For many hours the Tatui Maru had cruised 12 miles off the entrance to San Francisco Bay. She had on board 247 passengers. 100 of them Americans, and £ 1-million worth of silk, the largest single consignment for ten years.