MEASURES TAKEN BY BRITISH

Southland Times, Issue 24500, 30 July 1941, Page 5

MEASURES TAKEN BY BRITISH

REPORT OF JAPANESE AGENCY (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) TOKYO, July 29 The Saigon correspondent of the Domei News Agency said the Straits Settlements Government was greatly alarmed as a result of the rapidly changing world situation. It had recently ordered a considerable number of British troops to move, towards the border regions. The correspondent said that mines had been laid in Singapore and other waters and parts of the British Fleet had begun patrol action. In Batavia ordinances have been issued enabling the army to use the emergency laws in the event of their being needed. . The Japanese Consul at Batavia has cabled the Foreign Office stating that the Bank of Java had advised the Yokohama Specie Bank that the Netherlands East Indies was abrogating the Japanese-East Indies financial agreement, “which will have an important effect on Japanese-East Indies trade. Therefore the Foreign .Office is closely watching the position. It is felt in Saigon that the Japanese occupation will be without incident. Rumours of incidents between the Japanese and French civilians are groundless. It is understood that the Government is placing at the disposal of the Japanese most of Saigons port installations. The French Chamber of Commerce, one of the finest buildings, is being taken over to house the Japanese staff. Several barracks near Saigon are expected to house troops. MILITARY INSTALLATIONS It is reported that the FrancoJapanese agreement guarantees that the Japanese will not touch French military installations, including the coastal batteries. Mr Jigoro Kano expressed the view that there was no reason why Japan should default in her external debt in retaliation for the British and American freezing of her assets. His view was based on the assumption that even under the pressure of the present measures there would be sufficient trade between Japan and the democracies to enable the debt service to be continued. , i Mr Kano hinted that much depended on the stringency with which Britain and America _chose to interpret tiie decision to freeze Japanese assets. Th Dutch East Indies, like Britain, the British Dominions, and the United States has imposed sanctions on Japan. Well-informed circles in the East Indies anticipate that Japan will probably endeavour to cheapen the effect of sanctions. However, it is regarded as a great economic blow, not only cutting off tin, rubber, vegetable fats and quinine, but also irreplaceable trade. During the period from January to April last the East Indies imported £5,000,000 worth of Japanese goods compared with £5,250,000 worth in the same period last year and exported £2,652,000 worth to Japan in the first four months of this year, compared with £2,733,000 worth in the corresponding period of last year. The sanctions imposed in Batavia also apply to China. Dutch officials point out, however, that this does not include consignments of goods via the Burma Road or any other route whereby Free China is assured of receiving them. DISCONTENT IN VICHY ARMY (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 29. The Madrid correspondent of The Daily Mail said that more French officers and leading citizens who are believed to have opposed the surrender of Indo-China have been arrested under the orders of the Vichy Government. Discontent is specially great in the army. Several generals called on Marshal Petain on Sunday protesting against the detention of brother officers. They complained of the disappearance of Generals Grussard and Duran. A naval court tried a batch of French communists at Toulon for spreading defeatism among the French Army and people. Twelve, including one woman, were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from five to 20 years.