A Tense Situation

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 561, 14 January 1929, Page 9

A Tense Situation

CHINESE UNREST AT HANKOW Japanese Gunboats Move In (United F.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and X.Z. Press Association) Received Noon. SHANGHAI, To-day. THE latest reports from Hankow state that the Japanese concession is completely cut off from the Chinese section by barbed wire, and entrance is only possible through the heavily-guarded gates.

There has been a general exodus of Chinese from the concession, and would-be entrants are warned off by pickets, who are not interfering with the Japanese themselves. While the situation is tense, it is expected that the precautions will be sufficient to prevent a serious outbreak of trouble. Anti-Japanese pickets are continuing their activities, and the boycott strike against the Japanese is spreading. Japanese gun-boats have taken tip their stations closer to the waterfront, and the outlying Japanese residents are moving in as a precautionary measure.

MILITARISTIC POWER

NATIONALISTS’ DESIRE UPKEEP OF THE ARMY (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) SHANGHAI, Sunday. That the Nationalists intend China to become a militaristic Power is demonstrated in a statement issued by Mr. T. V. Soongr. Finance Minister.

This states that in future 41 per cent of the nation’s revenue will be devoted to the upkeep of the army. At a conference of all the prominent militarists in the country, now being concluded at Nanking under the chairmanship of the President, Marshal Chians Kai-shqk. the future policy of China was defined. Regional control, which was held to be responsible for the internal troubles of the past, had now been abolished. Instead, there will be stationed a division in each of several defined areas, which will be responsible for peace in that area, and will be controlled by the central authoritv at Nanking. 'The conference is calling for a census of China’s military strength covering the most remote regions.