MYSTERY DEATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23722, 31 July 1940, Page 9

MYSTERY DEATH

BRITISH JOURNALIST ALLEGED SUICIDE DEMAND FOR INQUIRY j (Received July 30, 8.30 p.m.) TOKIO, July 30 Britain has demanded a full investigation into the death of Mr. Melville Cox, manager of Reuter's Agency in the Far East. British officials are not inclined to accept what purports to be a farewell note supposed to have been written by him. Mr. Cox was killed after a mysterious fall from the fourth floor of the Japanese police headquarters while being questioned. It is officially announced in Tokio that Mr. Cox jumped from the window while under examination and died. The Ministers of War and Justice state: "A note addressed to his wife was found on Mr. Cox's person. It read: 'I know what's best. Always you are my only lore. I have been quite well treated, but there is no doubt how matters are going.' "In the light of the above note, it seems that with the progress of the investigation, the deceased became aware of the fact that he could not escape conviction." Mrs. Cox denied that Mr. Cox was engaged in espionage. "My husband had merely been doing the regular work of a foreign correspondent," she said. An agency report states that steps are to be taken to replace 500 alien instructors in Japan. The activities of missionaries are to be more strictly supervised. CHINA'S REFUSAL JAPANESE OVERTURES TERMS FOR SETTLEMENT EXPENSE OF THIRD POWERS (Received July 30, 7.15 p.m.) HONGKONG, July 30 It is reported that China has rejected Japanese overtures involving an armistice and an all-embracing settlement at the expense of third Powers. The Japanese proposals are stated to be: — (1) The outright cession of five provinces—Hupeh, Chahar, Shantung, Shansi and Suiyuan. (2) The recognition of Wang Chingwei as President of a Chinese Republic to be made up of the remaining provinces, plus British Burma. French Indo-China and Thailand (Siam), in which China and Japan would share economic opportunities. (3) The status of Manchukuo to be left in abeyance indefinitely. Japanese forces are continuing the operation designed to close all ports through which war materials might reach the Chinese armies and guerilla forces. Troops -were landed at Swabue, between Hongkong and Swatow, at dawn. Japanese forces also advanced inland and attacked Chinese holding the town of Chenhni. The District Court Judge at Shanghai, Chien Ilongyeh, who was an appointee of the Chungking Government, was assassinated yesterday. The Chungking newspaper Takunpao said to-day that the Chinese Government has closed the League liaison office at Geneva and the staff is returning to China.