POLICY OF BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19608, 9 April 1927, Page 11

POLICY OF BRITAIN.

i , ATTITUDE OF NEUTRALITY. no part in civil war. PROTECTION OF HER SUBJECTS. By Telegraph—Press Asnocaf.on —Copyright. A. and N.Z. LONDON, April 7. A special meeting of Cabinet to-day considered the latest reports on the situation in China. Following the carrying out of the decision to evacuate all Britishers from upriver areas, all the British warships above Hankow have now returned. Although the Powers' identic Notes regarding Nanking have not yet been presented to the Cantonese, authoritative circles insisl that the delay does not imply any hitch in the negotiations between London, Tokio, and Washington. Britain's final instructions were sent to Sir Miles Lanipson on Monday, but time will be necessary to allow the Governments of the United States and Japan to reach a decision and cable it to the British Minister to Peking. Italy has already agreed to the main principles of the Note and France is confidently expected to join in the international protest. Menace of Propaganda. During the debate in the House of Commons last evening on the situation in China, Colonel J. Wedgwood (Labour) asked whether the policy of complete neutrality as between the North and the South in China, which had been observed by the British forces in Shanghai, would be observed also as between any rival parties among the Nationalist forces. The Secretary for Foreign Affaii's, Sir Austen Chamberlain, replied : —" His Majesty's Government has no intention of being drawn into the Chinese civil war, whatever form it may assume. Replying to a question by a Conservative member regarding the Chinese propaganda of the Red International and the action he proposed to take in view of the Note to the Russian Government, Sir Austen Chamberlain said appeals of tlie kind referred to formed part of the ordinary programme of the Third International. Recent events in China had provided them with fresh opportunity of endeavouring to mislead the opinion of the world by entirely false statements. Anti-foreign feeling in general r.nd antirßritish feeling in particular had undoubtedly been encouraged and stimulated from Moscow, The British Government did not think it expedient to take further action on the Note or the Soviet reply at present. Britishers in Peking.

Mr. G. T. Locker-Lampson, UnderSecretary for Foreign Affairs, said the question of the safety of British subjects in Peking was one of the main problems created by existing conditions in China, which had been engaging the anxious attention of the Government. He declined to make any further statement as to what steps were being taken.

Asked by Commander. J. M. Kemvorthy (Labour) whether he was satisfied with the forces available at Tientsin and Peking, Sir L. Worthington-Evans, Minister of War, replied that his Government was closely watching the situation. He %vaa unable to make -a statement on the subject. The fresh brigade recently ordered to China was at present under orders to go to Hongkong. Mr. Locker-Lampson said he had no prrciso information as to the numbers of Britishers at Peking.