CHINESE SET-BACK.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13639, 25 August 1937, Page 6

CHINESE SET-BACK.

S KCJO.N I > .EDITION

JAPS. PUSH FORWARD. NOW APPROACHING KALGAN. (Received 12.15 p.m.) United Press Assn. Bjr Kiectric Feiegrapii—Ci'o pv r i z. PEKING, August 24. The Japanese claim that they routed the Chinese at.Kalgan which they expect to enter to-day forcing the, Chinese to retreat towards the Shansi province. The Japanese also claim that they repulsed 27 Chinese planes at the mouth of the Wlangpoo River and shot down several. CHOKER A EPI I)EMIC HONGKONG, August 24. • The cholera epidemic has seriously increased in the past week there being 369 cases and 162 deaths. This is nearly twice the previous week’s! total. PROBEEM OF REFUGEES. \ (Received 12.30 p.m.) SINGAPORE August 24. Arrangements arc being made here to accommodate Hongkong’s thousands of surplus refugees from China.. St. John’s Island (Singapore’s quarantine station) with accommodation for 2000 is now overflowing. At present 1500 Chinese from the Chinese cholera, zone are aboard vessels in tlu* outer harbour awaiting entry. T H F CA? 1 PATG'N < ONT i XUFS. (Received 12.40 p.m.) LONDON. August 24.

Thi North ('.Viui campaign is developing on ant.cipa tod lines, the Japanese objective being to crush the Chinese defenders ai ti t Nankow Pass between armies advancing i:t;. the a-t >ait is in v ki\ li and st.uthcastu aids in . the Cravar province An announcement of the Japanese capture t)i the Pass was premature and a battle is now in full progress. 'Hie Japanese army from Kalagan. possession of which i* still doubtful, is advancing towards the Peking-Sui-yaii- railway hop in.g It) entrap 50,000 Chinese. Other Japanese troops Iron. Ohahar er. ssed the li.ouat-ains to the west t)f Paintailiang, driving the Chinese towards the Suiyan railway which was subsequent! v b:rmbed from the -air. Meanwhile a mith (-!:inese division furiously aC..c.ked tlu. acivancing Japane&e in the west, of Nankow. but owing to the arrival of Japanese reinforcements they were un-

able to break* the Him after 24 hours of desperate conflict in heavy rain. Ai craft bombed the Chinese concentrated here and elsewhere. The Japan, es claim to h&ve halted the Chinese offensive southward of Peking, also that they suocessiully counter-at-tacked the T.ianghsia.ng sector, driving the Chinese into the mountains. Nevertheless the Japanese spokesman admits that the Chinese are ;offering strong opposition along the Kianghsiaug-Nankow railway. Rain is hampering operations on both sides. NO MAJOR BATTLE YET SHANGHAI. August 24 Despite exchanges of # bombing raids and anti-aircraft fire from the Japanese warships and the landing of certain numbers of Japanese reinforcements nothing decisive has occurred on the Shanghai front though the Japanese claim they repulsed sporadic attacks. Tt cannot yet be said that a major battle has taken place.