WHO SHOT THE JAPANESE?

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue 13860, 12 September 1919, Page 1

WHO SHOT THE JAPANESE?

f K.-utct's Telegram:-. > (oi,oMi;<>. August •:<;. 'II'.-Tf ■••■■'- a remarkable sequel to all iri-i.iiii: v. inch happi iicd to coincide v. r.!i tilt recent vi-it oi ;m Australian in<.>i:-iti|» to Colombo. ! l>:iviii-4 the aftcrne-jn :i well-known Kuru:>can resident named Bracejrirdle ■•.'.:• -!::.>:•:i!!-_C crow- at Mount Lavinia. :i nha.-am -easide le-ort. a few miles from Cuiomlio- invariably visited by the Aii-'raiiaii soldier.-. Mr [Sraee-irdlc had a --hot ;it two ■•:•'-. and some str;iy pellets struck ;i dajam -• woman and her brother, who were walking on tile bench, ami «-tv hidd. :i no!!! Mr lirace.mrdlc by ,;:Mc :•..!<-. The ii'iiiry in each ca-c was very Tin- husband "<>;' the-Japanese woman. a iiirrrliniit named ..Sliibagaki. adopted a remarkable a:fit ml e 7however. Hum injx "'" the police station, in 'i -late "►' ;;rcat excitement, .hi- eomplain- : d that 7\i:slra!inn soldiers had chased hi- -.li'.'e. and deliberately shot her. I>i--ali-!icd with Hie police attitude. he hastened to the Queen's Hotel. The i (i-iviTui'i- wa- away. I>nt hi- A.I.*TC°. heard t!:e story, and the strictest. i:iI >.i: ; 'v v.a- in-tiuati'd. I ' Captain Neill. •if the Australian I IVvvo.t ( one-, and the Sttperinfendent j .e the Police hiijii e-lahlished ilia? tin-An-tr.diin soldiers had nothing whai-

• •..;• tn do 'with the incident. Mr Urai-e.uirdlr then came forward and -late-i that he only had handled a mm. and that no Australian was evi !• near him. He apologised to Shibagaki. hut the iiH.r refused to accept his apulouy. pir-isliti". thai his wife had In en shot d.'.ih'-rati Iv ley the An.-.l raliali soldiers. The clearest' .vid-iiee to the contrary was -wept aside hy him. and he eahled at i.imih to the Japanese Covernmeiii :'<>:• redrc--. A- a result of hi- persistent compfaott-. the .Japanese Consul at l!oniha'- ha- now arrived in Colombo, and v. ith the police magistrate, lie visited Menu:! I.avmia to-day. where the im i-d'-ii' wa- reconstructed, and the stories of ryi-.v. itiic—e< wore taken. Tin procecdm":- were conduci*d in nrivate. hut I fthe representative <:f lletiter's Aucney> am in a position to say that ii was a'.'ain demonitrated hevclid all shadow of doulit that the All--tralian- hail absolutely nothing to e><> with the matter.

Tin- I'fciiliar attune!:- of ShiliajraH entist-il i:nliirii:itii>n anion:; tin- residents. v. Ii» strongly resell I unjust, rliargcs !>creeklessiy made against tin- Australian soldiers, whose eondmt was in i-viiT way exemplary. Siii'ia:r:iki li:i- a lirotlier in t lit- -JapiilHM- Navy, and hU wile is a m-.n-r relative fit* J'rineo J*::!«nii. who was leader of tin* .Japanese Peaee Deli-Ca-tion. • •"; •Shiliasraki says tlia: lie i< delerniiiiyl to make an international matter vt lfir inciileiit.