THE FAR EAST

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21357, 27 February 1941, Page 7

THE FAR EAST

BALANCE ALTERED DUTCH INDIES NAVY MORE FIGHTER AIRCRAFT (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) BATAVIA, Feb. 26 New fighter aircraft deliveries to the East Indies include Curtis in- i terceptors and strong fighter and I bomber reinforcements, thus completely altering the balance of air power in the Far East. Many American civil instructors are training East Indies pilots. | The East Indies Navy has been strengthened by a formidable fleet of locally-made all-steel motor tor-pedo-boats, which have an astonishing turn of speed. They are equipped with torpedo-tubes and depth charge apparatus. East Indies naval yards are also i making armed patrol vessels. The Sourabaya base is employing 18,000 i persons in shipbuilding, servicing I and armaments manufacture. Many thousands are employed in secret munition annexes. INDOCHINA’S NEEDS JAPAN CANNOT SUPPLY NEW ECONOMIC POLICY * FINAL MEDIATION PLAN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Feb. 27, 11.10 a.m.) SAIGON, Feb. 26 Leading firms have received telegrams irom Japan stating that, : owing to a domestic scarcity, Japan jis unable to supply Indo-China’s needs in exchange for the 700,000 j tons of rice and 25,000 tons of rubber j which normally are exported annually to Japan. The head of a leading firm said that the Japanese promised to supply metal and chemical products. However, it is now stated that it was only able to supply paper piece goods and toys, which Indo-China does not \ want, for which reason the economic j talks at Tokio are meaningless, since ! Indo-China will certainly be forced | to send rice and rubber to Japan in i exchange for doubtful yen payments j in the distant future. { TOKIO, Feb. 26 ! The Foreign Minister told a com- , rnittee of the Lower House that the : Government has decided on a new : policy in its future economic relaj tions with Thailand. I The Minister declined to reveal details, but all the leading newspapers gave prominence to a report that the Government had submitted a final mediation plan to Indo-China and Thailand. | BRITAIN AND CHINA j JOINT DEFENCE PROPOSAL j BURMA AND MALAYA AREA | (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Feb. 27, 1.0 p.m.) CHUNGKING, Feb. 26 The Government spokesman indi- ! cated that China is studying the pos- ! sibility of Anglo-Chinese joint defence in the Yunnan, Burma and Malaya area. ; However, no agreement has yet i been reached. BRITAIN ATTACKED BITTER JAPANESE COMMENT (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Feb. 27, 11 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 26 Despite the delicate situations in the Far East, the Japanese press | carry bitter attacks against Great j Britain. A Tokio paper goes so far as to • accuse Britain of being behind the dispute between Thailand and French Indo-China. | The weather has improved j sufficiently to enable Bulgarian and Rumanian shipping to resume in the j Danube up to the Yugoslav frontier.