NO BLOCKADE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21156, 4 July 1940, Page 2

NO BLOCKADE

CONDITIONS AT HONGKONG JAPANESE ADMIRAL’S PLAN TO VISIT PHILIPPINES (United Press Assn.—tlec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, July 3 A despatch from Tokio states that Admiral Nomura, former Foreign Minister, has announced that in the course of a month’s cruise he will visit Davao, in the Philippines, and Menado, in Celebes, “to inquire after the health” of the Japanese residents. He said he would also visit the Pelew Islands, east of the Philippines. The Japanese Consul-General at Hongkong revealed that the British Consul-General at Canton, Mr A. P. Blung, is negotiating with the Japanese authorities to lift the restrictions on imports of foodstuffs to Hongkong from Canton. The Japanese, he said, were not blockading Hongkong, but were merely severing its communications with the interior, since foodstuffs could be imported into Hongkong if special permits were obtained. He added that there was no question of a sea blockade. Major-General E. F. Norton, who is Commander of the Madras District, succeeds Sir Geoffry Northcote as Governor of Hongkong. He will be the first miiltary Governor of Hongkong since 1912. Defence precautions at Singapore are being continued. An order has been issued forbidding the movement of small craft in Singapore territorial waters between sunset and sunrise. Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura (retired) has been secretary to the Minister of the Navy, attache to the Japanese Embassy at Washington, and vice-Chief of the Navy General Staff. He was Foreign Minister for a short period at the end of last year. NAVAL AGREEMENT BRITAIN AND AMERICA ALLEGATIONS IN JAPAN STORY DENIED IN LONDON (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) TOKIO, July 3 The Japanese military journal Kokumin states that reliable information has been received that the United States is behind Britain’s stiff attitude to Japan’s demand for the elimination of assistance to the Chinese. “ A secret, large-scale naval agreement between Britain and America regarding the Pacific is about to be concluded,” says the Kokumin, “ permitting each other’s navies to use Cavite (Manila), Singapore. Port Darwin, Honolulu and Dutch Harbour (Alaska), and also putting Hongkong under American control.'’ The paper says the purpose of the agreement is to form a “ horseshoe encirclement” of Japan in the Pacific. LONDON, July 3 j Comment is made in London to- j day on statements appearing in Japanese newspapers that the United States and Britain are about to sign an agreement. This news from the Tokio press, it is stated, is the first that British circles have heard of it.