BACK FROM CHINA

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25051, 15 November 1944, Page 6

BACK FROM CHINA

STUDENTS' STORY

HONGKONG AFTER INVASION (0.c.) WANGANUI, Tuesday After four years in China, two brothers, Messrs D. and A. Ngan Kee, returned to Wanganui today. They are sons of Mr and Mrs H. Ngan Kee and were pupils of the Wanganui Technical College until the early months of the war, when they both sailed for China to study at the British University of Hongkong. The brothors had been about a year in Hongkong when the island and city fell to the Japanese on Christmas Day, 1941, and all student activities were disorganised. "Hongkong did not suffer much damage by the fighting, except for some done by bombs," said Mr A. Ngan Kee. "We did not disclose ourselves as students and had little trouble, except that the Japanese took such personal possessions as watches and fountain pens during raids for loot. The food position soon became bad, as the Japanese controlled the rice supplies and the ration soon got so low that it was difficult to live on it. Other food was available for a time at stalls which wore set up outside the closed shops, but this gradually got scarcer and dearer. "After a time the Japanese began to encourage the Chinese to leave Hongkong and return to their villages, because of the acute food shortage. Ibat was how we got out of Hongkong, by posing as refugees returning to the mainland. Wo made our way slowly to Kukong, in Kwantung province, north of Canton, and resumed our studies at the Chinese university there.' The journey back to Jsew Zealand was made in under three months. WATER ON LAND CLAIM AGAINST CROWN COMMENT MADE BY JUDGE (0.C.) HAMILTON, Tuesday "A view of this property should not be necessary except to confirm the evidence put before the Court," said Mr Justice Smith at Hamilton today during the hearing by a Compensation Court of a claim for £SOO in respect to flooding and loss of access to property at Huntly made by Wilfred Charles Davies, land agent, of Huntly (Mr Swarbrick), against the Minister of Railways (Mr Gillies). His Honor commented that the surveyors appearing as witnesses had disagreed, although he would have thought that the facts of the matter could have been established with no doubt whatever. The crucial point on which the case rested, said His Honor, was whether the claimant was bound _to_ accept the water which had been artificially thrown from its natural course on to his land. If it could be established that the course of tho stream had been diverted as a result of man-made works the body responsible for them would be liable. If. however, the diversion had taken place on account of natural blockage counsel for claimant would have to give an authority in support of his statement that he was not bound to accept the water on to his land. Judgment was postponed to enable an inspection of the property to be made and to allow counsel for claimant to produce an authority in support of his claim. OBITUARY MR H. C. FRASER (0.C.) WHANGAREI, Tuesday The death has occurred in the Whangarei Hospital of Mr Hugh Clifford Fraser, of Maungatapere, aged 50. Born at Maungaturoto, Mr Fraser was educated at King's College, Auckland, and then was in business in Whangarei before he purchased a farm at Maungatapere which he worked until his death. He was a keen athlete and footballer and took a part in sport organisations. An executive member of the Whangarei Agricultural and Pastoral Association Mr Fraser also acted as a judge' at many Northland shows. When the Land Sales Act came into operation Mr Fraser was appointed a member of the North Auckland Land Sales Committee. He is survived by his wife, one son and two daughters. METHODIST SYNOD The Auckland District Methodist Synod opened yesterday morning with a ministerial session at the Pitt Street Methodist Church. Welcomes were extended to the Revs. A. H. Voyce, A. W. E. Sylvester and J. R. Metcalfe, members of the staff of the Solomon Islands Mission. The Rev. H. K. Brown, a fourthyear probationer, was passed in his year and recommended for ordination at the forthcoming conference. The Revs. J. J. Lewis, L. F. Bycroft and E. D. Grounds (on active service) were passed in their respective years of probation. The Revs. M. Winiata and R. Rogers, Maori ministers, are to continue on probation. Mr Allen H. Hall was recommended to the forthcoming conference to be received for ministerial training. Reports of the year's work at Trinity College were received. Two students, W. Green and W. Gregory, were recommended to the conference for appointment to circuit work next year. Home missionary probationers, Messrs L. E. Sharpe, J. H. Thompson and M. D. Turkington, were recommended to be passed in their year. BISHOP AT TAUPO (0.C.) TAUPO, Tuesday The Bishop of Auckland, the Rt. Rev. W. J. Simkin, arrived at Taupo vesterday accompanied by Mrs Simkin. The bishop will conduct a confirmation service in the Anglican Church, Taupo, tonight, and return to Auckland about Friday. MOUNT ALBERT AFFAIRS . Advice that an appeal by J. R,. Butiand Proprietary, Ltd., 'against not being permitted to erect a model factory in Sainsburv Road, Mount Albert, had been withdrawn was received at a meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council last night. The council in SepI tember declined permission to erect the factory an .the site was outside the light industrial area fixed by the townplanning scheme, the firm then having a right of appeal to the Town-Planning Board. The firm had now secured an existing factory site. The council approved of a draft bill of the Auckland Centennial Memorial Park Board for submission to Parliament providing for an increase of three in the membership of the board.