HELD FOR RANSOM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20392, 22 October 1929, Page 8

HELD FOR RANSOM.

BRIGANDS ! N CHINA*

TWQ ENGLISHMEN CAPTURED.

While engaged in the annual inspection of sub-agencies in the region of Miamusza, on the Sungari River, 280 miles north* east of Harbin, China, two British insurance inspectors, Mr. E. M. Burton, of the firm of Butterfield and Swire, and Mr. I. H. C. Godfrey, of the Commer* cial Union, were kidnapped by Manchurian bandits. They were being held to ransom, and according to information received, over £15,000 was demanded for their release.

A Chinese interpreter, who was with Messrs. Burton and Godfrey on the tour, escaped and informed the authorities. The British Consul at Harbin, where both men were stationed, has made representations to the Chinese authorities requesting them to take immediate steps to secure their release. The Commercial Union's Shanghai manager also sent a representative to Harbin to make inquiries. News was received from him that the two men had been severely treated, and • are suffering very great hardship. "Our manager is trying to send them provisions and clothing," declared an official of the company. "He states that the bandits are asking an utterly unreasonable amount for their release. Little is known of Mr. Burton at the London office of his firm. It was slated that he had lived in China for a considerable time, and had no address in Britain. , , Mr. C. H. Godfrey, father of the other man, was formerly a commissioner of publie works at. Shanghai, and is now living at New Milton, near Bournemouth. 1 have received no news from my son for over a month," he stated. "Although ha is only 28 years of age he has done a tremendous amount of travelling, speaxs Chinese perfectly, and I am certain he will not lose his head. He was born iu China, and, except during his education at Sedbergh, Yorkshire, has lived there nearly all his life. Ho is used to roughing it, as he is nnmarried and lives £ hardy type of life. When I last heard from him about his last trip ho said that he had not been attacked by any of the Hung Hutze (Chinese brigands), but had been forced to travel a roundabout, routs to avoid them. It is a wild, desolate part of the country, but he knows is well, and is a very capable young man. An official at the London office of Butterfield and Swire declared there was a great deal of this sort of kidnap* ping going on m the locality.