MASSING OF TROOPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21049, 7 December 1931, Page 9

MASSING OF TROOPS.

JAPANESE APPREHENSION. ACTIVITIES OF BANDITS. UNCERTAINTY IN MANCHURIA. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received December 6. 5.5 p.m.) SHANGHAI, Dec. 5. Japanese military headquarters at Mukden state that nearly 40,'.'00 Chinese troops are occupying the region between Chinchow and Mukden. General Honjo, tho Japanese commander, is non-committal on the question whether he contemplates an advance on Chinchow. It is reported that nearly 20,000 bandits and irregulars are over-running the South Manchurian railway zone. These, with the Chinese concentration of forces, are said to be endangering the small Japaneso forces. TWO RESIGNATIONS. CHINESE MINISTERS. ATTITUDE TOWARD THE LEAGUE. (Received December G, 11.45 p.m.) SHANGHAI, Dec. 5. A message from Nanking announces the resignation of Dr. Alfred Sze, Chinese delegate at Geneva, and Dr. Wellington Koo, who was recently appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Sze's cablegram complains that Chinese overseas delegates in Europe are exerting pressure on him not to attend further sessions of tho Council of tho

League of Nations and to commence negotiations for China's withdrawal from membership of tho League. The President, General Chiang Kai-shek, has asked Dr. Sze to continue, assuring him that the Government is firmly behind him. Dr. Koo pleads overwork. A local opinion is that his resignation is the result of local sentiment, which opposes the Government's policy. Dr. Koo was appointed Foreign Minister only last month. Ho is regarded as the country's foremost diplomat. He was born in 1887 and came to the front of politics at a remarkably early age. He was China's first delegate to the League of Nations, and was formerly Chinese Minister at Washington and later at London. He has held Cabinet rank previously and in 1926 was acting-Premier and Foreign Minister. Dr. Sao-ke Alfred Sze was appointed Envoy and Minister in London at the beginning of 1929. He has conducted all the negotiations on behalf of China with the League of Nations concerning the Manchurian trouble. SPECTACULAR PROTEST. STUDENTS CAMP ON RAILWAY. ALL TRAFFIC BLOCKED. (Received December C, 5.5 p.m.) Times Cable. PEKING, Dec. 5. As a result of being denied freo transportation to Nanking to put their views on tho Manchurian situation beforo the central Government, 2000 university students held up the railway traffic at Peking for 21 hours. They aro still preventing trains entering or leaving the city. Tho demonstrators, including girls, camped on tho railway tracks during the night in spite of tho cold. Tho police aro hesitating to take action as they fear reprisals. Trains from Tientsin are competed to halt at a junction some miles from Peking.