ESCAPE TO CHINA

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25036, 28 October 1944, Page 6

ESCAPE TO CHINA

PRISONER OF JAPANESE AUCKLAND NAVAL OFFICER After being a prisoner of the Japanese since the fall of Hongkong, Lieutenant R. B. Goodwin, R.N.Z.N.V.R., of Auckland, has escaped to China. His mother, Mrs E. E. Goodwin, of 6 Bella Vista Road, has recently received letters written bv him in Kunming. He was one of the first ten New Zealand yachtsmen to be selected as probationary sublieutenants early in 1940, and he served at Singapore and eventually Hongkong, where ho was wounded in the thigh and captured. He was cared for in a hospital and a convent before being imprisoned in Camp N., Hongkong. While he was a prisoner of the Japanese, only four letters were re< ceived from him by his mother. The last, received in January of this year, had been written in 1942. Cablegrams and letters from him have recently arrived from China, and a cablegram received this week stated that he was now in Delhi. In his letters from Kunming, Lieutenant Goodwin gives little information about his escape, but one of the letters, received by a friend, includes a light'hearted reference to his journey of over 750 miles from Hongkong to Kunming, in the province of Yunnan. Varied Means of Transport "One of these days I will be able to tell you about my journey from Hongkong," states the letter, "I started off by walking, did a bit of swimming, sailed a sampan for a while, was carried a few miles in a chair, did more than ten miles riding pillion on a bicycle over a rough cross-country track, about 120 miles in river boats, and 650 miles in an old motor-truck, keeping just a nose in front of the '2s ips' over thai distance. I came tho last 550 miles 12,000 ft up in a transport plane "

Lieutenant Goodwin gives an amusing description of his ride on the back of a bicycle through several villages. "News of my coming preceded me and the local troops were drawn up," he continues. "My driver speeded up and rang his bell continuously as we approached, the bicycle bounced and ricochetted off big rocks, and I was struggling to keep mounted. I had an umbrella in one hand and a big bouquet of flowers in the other, and I was trying to acknowledge the welcome of the nead man of the village and take the salute of the guard of honour at the same time. The rider just kept 011 going with his bell clanging, and the only distinct memory I have of the complicated series of manoeuvres I attempted is that I did ! stay 011 the bike. Effects of Inflation "My time here so far has been spent in eating, sleeping, writing up my reports and strolling about through the city and countryside," the letter .con-j tinues. "The only snag is that I am I caught here under orders not to leave j tlie country until certain interviews j have taken place." . ! Referring to the effects of inflation 1 in China, Lieutenant Goodwin states! that the short-term lease of the building he was in expired at the end of September. The previous rental was 50.000 dollars a month, and the new monthly rental asked was 400.000 dollars. A i haircut cost him 180 dollars, and lunch at a hotel 600 dollars. There are all ' kinds of exchange rates in operation, he states. At the worst the lunch cost : £7 10s, and at the best black market rates lis 3d. Educated at tho Bayfield School and the Auckland Grammar School, Lieutenant Goodwin is a well-known yachtsman. He had considerable success in racing 18ft yachts and was a member of the crew "of the yacht Teddy 011 its cruise to Svdney. He was employed in the Land 'and Deeds Department in Auckland before going overseas. : AUSTRALIAN VISITORS MINISTERS ARRIVE TODAY The deputy-Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Forde, and the AttorimvGeneral and Minister of External Affairs, Dr Evatt, are expected to arrive in Auckland this afternoon by flying-boat. With them will be the High Commissioner for New Zealand in Australia. Mr J. G. Barclay, and Mrs Barclay. A number of officials will accompany the party, which will be met by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry, and tho Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs, Mr J. W. Heenan. Before going to Wellington to discuss matters arising from the AustralianNew Zealand agreement, tho visitors will travel to Rotorua, where they will be accorded a Maori reception tomorrow evening. APPLES FROM STORE STOCKS DIMINISHING Supplies of apples held in the Internal Marketing Division's cool store are rapidly diminishing and, according to an official, stocks will be exhausted toward tho end of November. From then until after Christinas, when fresh Irish Peach and Astrakans should be available in small quantities, apples will be almost unprocurable in Auckland shops. Compared with the corresponding period a year ago, about 2000 more cases of apples a week have been distributed for civilian consumption by the Internal Marketing Division during the last two months, this week, approximately 6500 cases were released, compared with 3600 cases for the same week in 1943. Retailers report that the demand for apples is phenomenal, and most shops are limiting sales to a ration of ono pound a customer. FLOOD PREVENTION DIVERSION OF RANGITIKEI (0.C.) WANGANUI, Friday lu an effort to prevent hundreds of acres of valuable farm lands near Bulls from being inundated every time the Rangitikei River is in flood, the Works Department has completed a scheme for diverting the flow of the channel in two places in tho vicinity of Flock House. The project was subsidised by the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council and is one of similar undertakings in various parts of the Dominion. Two cuts have been made in the river bed. The first involved the removal of : between 80,000 and 90,000 cubic yards of material, being slightly moro than , a mile and a-quarter in length. The second cut, higher up the river, is nearly three-quarters of a mile in length and necessitating the removal of between 30.0(10 and 40.000 cubic yards I of material. The new work was put. to its first test this week, when the Rangitikei River I rose above normal level following heavy j ■ rain in the watershed, but no flooding II of. Adjacent low-lying lands occurred- !