AIR RAID TERROR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23810, 17 May 1939, Page 9

AIR RAID TERROR

JAPANESE BOMBINGS THE ATTACKS ON CHUNGKING CIVILIANS SUFFER SEVERELY (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, May 15. (Received May 16, at 6.30 p.m.) A number of questions asked in the House of Commons to-day related to the bombing of towns in China. Mr R. A. Butler, Under-secretary for Foreign Affairs, said that Sir Robert Craigie made strong representations to Japan, urging that from a humanitarian point of view, as v/ell as in Japan's best interest, stringent instructions should be sent to restrict attacks to recognised military objectives. Sir Robert Craigie had observed that in the case of Chungking the casualties appeared to have been suffered almost exclusively by the civilian element of the population. Mr Butler added that Lord Halifax understood that representations on very similar lines had been made to Japan by other countries. The casualties among non-combatants resulting from raids on May 3 and 4 on Chungking were estimated at 1600 killed and approximately the same number wounded, and it was feared that the full casualty list would be even higher when the excavations were completed. Occupation of Kulangsu Mr Butler was asked to make a statement on the invasion and occupation by the Japanese of the international concession at Kulangsu. He said that, following the fatal shooting of the chairman of the Amoy Chamber of Commerce on Thursday morning, a Japanese naval party of between 100 and 200 men landed the same evening and started to patrol the settlement, searching private houses and making many arrests. Mr Butler added that Sir Robert Craigie had been instructed to protest against this forcible interference with the municipal administration at Kulangsu, which was established by agreement between China and the foreign treaty Powers, including Britain and Japan. "As regards Shanghai, Japan can be under no misapprehension as to the unfortunate results on AngloJapanese relations which would be produced were similar action to be taken by the Japanese on the settlement there." CHUNGKING BOMBINGS THE JAPANESE VERSION i (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 16. The Consul-General for Japan in Wellington (Mr K. Gunji) has received cable advice from Tokio to the effect that a Japanese aeroplane squadron bombed Chungking on May 3 and 4 and wrought great damage to the Chinese military establishments at that place. On May 4, the Chinese army stationed 50 anti-aircraft guns, between 200 and 300 metres from the British, French, German and American Consulates, and, on opening fire, were bombed by the Japanese aeroplanes. According to various sources Oi. information, one of the Japanese bombs dropped on the compound of the British Consulate and it is said that one of the secretaries of the Consulate was wounded. The Japanese authorities are now investigating the affair. The Japanese Naval Information Bureau in Shanghai stated that, even if the report that the Japanese bomb fell in the British Consulate compound were found to be true, the happening was quite unavoidable as the Japanese aeroplanes were being fired upon and had acted purely in self-defence.