RAILWAY DISPUTE

Wairarapa Daily Times, 27 September 1933, Page 5

RAILWAY DISPUTE

TROUBLE 111 MANCHURIA FURTHER ARRESTS. Press Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright SHANGHAI, Tuesday. Following the arrests of four Soviet citizens who Avere technical servants of the Chinese Eastern Railway, three others were taken into custody yesterday. These included the stationmaster at Pogranitehnaya, wdio was arrested in connection Avith the alleged wrongful evacuation of 79 locomotives, the property of the Chinese Eastern railway, into Siberia. The accountant was arrested in connection with monetary irregularities. M. Slavutsky, the Soviet Consul-Gen-eral at Harbin, has entered a strong verbal protest, and received a reply that Manchukuo’s action was not taken against the men as Soviet citizens, but as railway employees legally responsible for wrongful acts. The business of the railway is now reported to be at a standstill. Rumours that these arrests are a preliminary to Manchukuo taking over the line are denied, though the denials are accepted sceptically. STRONG NOTE TO JAPAN. (Received Wednesday, 10.55 a.m.) MOSCOW, Tuesday. Russia has sent a strong Note to Tokio, protesting against the arrests, on 24th September, and demanding the immediate release of the men, otherwise there will be reprisals against Japanese subjects on Russian soil. The “Izvestia” declares that the Soviet is ready to accept the JapaneseManeliu challenge, while the “Pravda” warns Japan that she is overtaxing the Soviet patience, which is not illimitable.