MANCHURIA DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21029, 13 November 1931, Page 9

MANCHURIA DISPUTE.

WARLIKE CHINESE.

A POSSIBLE OFFENSIVE.

•JAPAN'S OB AYE FEARS.

forces outnumbered.

&CTION MAY BE FORCED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. . (Received November 13, 12.35 a.m.) TOKIO. Nov. 12. The Japanese commander in Manchuria reports that he learns from intercepted Chinese wireless messages that attacks B re planned with the object of driving out the Japanese lrom North and South Manchuria. The Japanese Government gravely fears the- possibility of the Chinese launching sn offensive, relying upon their numerical superiority. This would force Japanese notion, which is regarded as regrettable in view of the fact that the Council of the League of Nations is to meet on Monday. A representative of the North China Daily News, who tit present is at Harbin, Manchuria, reports that he has actually fcen a photograph of a Japanese ultimatum to the Governor of Heilung-kiang ordering him to vacate Tsitsihar. COUNCIL OF LEAGUE. SIR JOHN SIMON'S HOPE. SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTE. V , (Received November 12. K. 5 p.m.) LONDON. Nor. 11. The Foreign .Secretary, Sir John Simon, tr.ade a statement on the Manchurian situation to-day in the House of Commons. He outlined the efforts made by the Council of the League of Nations to effect 8 settlement of the dispute between Japan end Chi' l3 ! and referred to the Council's resolution of October 24. - Continuing, Sir John said: "Since the adjournment, of the Council further endeavours have been made to promote an agreement, and these will be carefully explored when the Council reassembles., tn the meanwhile,- some portion of the Japanese troops arc understood to have been withdrawn within the railway zone, (hough fresh hostilities have occurred in north-western Manchuria.

"I propose to attend the adjourned 'meeting of. the Council at Paris next Monday, and I have every hope that the Council, under the distinguished presidency of M. Byiand, and with tlie moral support which I earnestly trust the United States Government will continue to afford, will be able to compose this unfortunate dispute."

In a speech at Birmingham Sir John snnounced that the United States Government had instructed its Ambassador to Britain, Mr. C. G. Dawes, to attend the meeting of tlve Council at Paris. He said he had good ground for hoping that the moral authority of the League would be sustained. Britain's . international policy should be inspired by the League's ideals. It is uuderstood that Viscount Cecil will accompany Sir John to Paris for the meeting of the Council. SIDELIGHT IN TAHITI. CHINESE TAKE ALARM. , REPATRIATION PLAN CANCELLED. Ihe residents of Tahiti have been amused at the way in which the outbreak of trouble between Japan and China caused an alteration in elaborate plans which had been made by the large Chinese population of Eastern Polynesia. Many of the Chinese who depend on j manual labour and share the working of plantations for a living have been rendered idle by the depression and some hundreds were eager to return to China. One of the Chinese Tongs in Tahiti chartered the trading schooner, Pro Patria, incurred considerable expense in altering the vessel to accommodate passengers and erected amidships a huge deck-house, resembling a Chinese pagoda.

About 100 Chinese, unable to obtain tickets via America, bought passages on the Pro Patria. Sailing day arrived and ♦ he. Chinese all-went aboard with their families and domestic equipment. All was ready sailing and the lines were actually aboilt to be cast off when news arrived of Japan's sudden move in Man-churia-and the apparent certainty of war. The voyage was abandoned immediately, The Chinese received their passage money back and settled down again in Tahiti, no doubt with tho philosophic reflection that. Tahiti phis depression is much to be preferred to China plus Japanese. Or, as the Tong itself might put, it, "the, devil you know is better than the devil you do not know."