HEAVY BOMBING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23094, 20 July 1938, Page 13

HEAVY BOMBING

HANKOW SUFFERS THEATRE SET ON FIRE 500 REFUGEES TRAPPED JAPANESE MOVE IN MONGOLIA By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received July 10, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 15) Twenty-seven Japanese bombers, flying high to avoid anti-aircraft guns, to-day carried out the biggest and worst raid on the Wuhan area of Hankow, including the aerodromes at Wuchang, Hankow and Hanyante. Huge fires broke out at the last-named, one being dangerously close to the arsenal. Hankow city is believed to have suffered severely, including the setting on fire of a Chinese theatre in which 500 refugees were trapped. Japanese aeroplanes suddenly landed on the Nanchang air field, where five Chinese machines, which were on the ground, were set on fire, says a message from Shanghai. The raiders escaped before the defenders recovered fro in their surprise. Japanese fighters engaged 15 Chinese aeroplanes above Nanchang and shot down eight and destroyed seven on the ground, losing only one machine. Tho first indication that Japan is closing China's "open door" is the formation of a monopolistic Sino-Mongol-Japancse petroleum company in Inner Mongolia, where all Chinese banks have also been closed, says a Peking despatch. War refugees have increased the population of Hongkong from 69,000 to 1,305,000. That of Nanking has fallen from 1,000,000 to 276,000. BRITISH INTERESTS JAPAN'S ATTITUDE ALLAYING OF ANXIETY REPRESENTATIONS IN TOKIO (Received July 19, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, July 18 In answer to a question in the House of Commons regarding British commercial interests in China, the Foreign Under-Secretary, Mr. E. A. Butler, said the most recent communication from the Japanese Government expressed readiness to take certain steps to allay the anxiety felt for British rights and interests. Tho British Ambassador in Tokio, Sir Robert Craigie was continuing to press the Japanese Government on the subject. NEW ZEALAND MATRON RETURN HOME ON LEAVE ENCASED IN PLASTER CAST (Received July 19, 10 p.m.) BRISBANE, July 19 A passenger on board the liner Nanking, which arrived to-day from the East, is Miss N. Bargrove, matron of the Church Missionary Society's hospital at Hangchow. She is in a bed on the shelter deck and is encased in a plaster cast Miss Bargrove is returning to her home in Wellington, New Zealand, on leave. She was reticent as to the nature of her illness or its possible duration.

WAR OF RESISTANCE CHINA'S DETERMINATION CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT [BV TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON. Tuesday The Chinese Consul, Mr. Feng Wang, has received the following cablegram from Hankow:—"At the conclusion of the conference of the People's Political Council, which passed a number of resolutions, the following manifesto was issued: The Chinese people with unflinching determination must mobilise the entire manpower and resources of the nation in order to prosecute a protracted war of resistance until final victory is achieved. "The council hopes all friendly nations will continue to render assistance to China and use every possible means to render abortive the plans of the Japanese. It is the will of the Chinese people that the power of administration should be vested in the National Government and that Generalissimo Chiang should be recognised as the leader of the nation. The enemy's motive in setting up pnppet organisations is to deceive the nations of the world and fulfil their ambition of subjugating China. "The council solemnly declares it will faithfully support the National Government, the supreme leader and the basic policy in reference to the war of resistance laid down by the National Congress of the Kuomintangj and on behalf of the Chinese people it desires to express gratitude to Chiang and all officers and soldiers for their great sacrifice, to brethren overseas for their patriotic support, and to the Governments and peoples of friendly nations for their sympathy with and assistance to China."

RESERVES OF GOLD JAPAN'S EXPORT PLAN TOKIO, July 18 The Japanese Cabinet tomorrow Trill consider the Finance Ministry's plan to export portion of the gold reserve now totalling £48,000,000 for the purpose of creating foreign exchange for the purchase of raw materials. The gold available represents the gain made in the revaluation of stocks in 1937.