M.P.s DISCUSS FAR
FAR EAST Japanese Closure Of Pearl And Yangtse Rivers
STILL PRESSING FOR ACTION
London, To-day.
MR. R. H. MORGAN (Conservative, Stourbridge) asked in the House of Commons, yesterday whether the Pearl River and the Yangtse were yet opened to general trade as promised by the Japanese Prime Minister on Dec. 18, and if not, to what extent trade and shipping in these waters were still subjected to restriction.
"
Mr. R. A. Butler, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in a written reply, said: "No, not yet. Present arrange- ments on the Pearl River allow for one British ship a week to visit Canton.
"As regards the Yangtse, the river is still closed to third power shipping above Kiangyin, while below this point British vessels are operating under certain difficulties, which have been brought to the notice of the Japanese authorities.”
Mr. Morgan then asked - what steps were taken to secure the re- opening to British shipping of the inland waters of China in the Yang- tse Delta other than the Yangtse itself, and whether British vessels were now able to ply freely along the accustomed routes.
Mr. Butler, in a written reply, said: "Lord Halifax is calling for a report
on
the present position on these waterways." Reuter.
MODERNISED INDIAN ARMY
LONDON, TO-DAY.
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO RECOMMEND ΤΟ
CIVIL DEFENCE BILL
: London, To-day.
The cost of civil defence Is well over £100,000,000, declared Sir John Anderson, Minister of Home Security, In" a special in- terview with Reuter's correspon- dent yesterday.
The civil defence forces num. bar 1,250,000 men and women of all ages and classes, he added.
Only one in six receives any reward for his or her services.— Reutor.
JAPANESE SHIPPING
RESTRICTIONS AT TSINGTAO
London, To-day.
SIR A. N. STEWART-SANDEMAN (Conservative,
TEAR GAS
IN SHANGHAI BUS RIOT
Shanghai, To-day..
Italian troops were called out yesterday to the garages of the China General Omni- bus Company following the strike of the employees.
Some 15 employees were injured when the Italian troops used tear-gas bombs to prevent, the employees from storming the offices.
A few shots were fired and it is re- ported that some of the strikers were wounded.»
1
The incident occurred when the strikers attempted to storm the offices to. demand audience with the manage- ment. Our Own Correspondent.
KEEPING CLEAR OF
Berne, To-day.
Middleton) asked in the House of Commons UTOPIANISM yesterday whether the Prime Minister was aware that wharfage facilities at Tsingtao were still denied British vessels by the Japanese, and that the only wharf nominally placed at foreign dis- posal had been occupied by the Japanese or had been unusable in bad weather owing to its ex- posed position.
This deliberate obstruction of Bri-` PARLIAMENT THAT ASSISTANCE | tish trade, he said, had continued for AMOUNTING TO £34,000,000 | nearly a year, and he asked whether SHOULD BE MADE TO MEET THE the Japanese Government had made CAPITAL COST OF MODERNISING any serious attempt to end the grave THE DEFENCE FORCES IN INDIA injury to British trade and prestige. OVER FIVE YEARS.
One quarter of this sum will be treated as a loan to India.
Sir Hugh O'Neill, Under-Secretary for India, announcing this. in the House of Commons yesterday, said the recommendation was devised to meet the cost of modernising the forces in India as recommended by the com- mittee under the chairmanship of Lord Chatfield, which investigated In- dian Army conditions last year:
Reuter.
London, To-day.
At Commons question time Sir Hugh O'Neill, Under-Secretary for India, stated: It is the intention of the British Government that this
Mr. R. A. Butler, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in a written reply, said that up to March 25, 1939, third power, shipping had to work cargo at the open anchorage outside the harbour. On that date a wharf and two berths were opened but had no godown accommodation and were most exposed in bad weather.
BERTHS MONOPOLISHED
In addition to these difficulties all berths were monopolised by Japanese shipping for three months last year, ending at about the end of October.
Bince then British ships had again been able to use the wharves and a third berth was
made
available from January 13,
modernisation should be proceeded Mr. Butler added that the situation with during the war insofar as strate-still leaves much to be desired from gic priorities and considerations of the point of view of British shipping, supply perniit. In the conditions but it would be observed that there brought about by the war we have had recently been some improvement reconsidered the whole field of the and the matter would continue to be financial arrangements with the Gov-pressed as opportunity offered. ernment of India in respect of de- Reuter. fence expenditure.
NEW ARRANGEMENTS The respective Governments propose that the Indian budget should provide during the war for first the normal cost of India's pre-war forces, whether employed in or outside India, adjust- ed from time to time in accordance with the trend of prices, and, second- ly, the cost of special defence measures undertaken by India in Indian inter- ests during the war. In addition, the contributions recommended by the Garron Tribunal will be made to- wards the extra cost of certain troops while employed outside India and all defence expenditure over this amount incurred by the Government of India. will be met by the British Exchequer. The annual grant in ald of military" expenditure for Indian revenues, made In accordance with the recommenda- tions of the Chatfleld Committee, will be continued and stabilised for the duration of the war at: the 1939 level of £2,000,000."-British Wireless.
:
JAPAN'S
RELATIONS WITH U.S.
TOKYO, TO-DAY. "WE ARE NOT AFRAID. OF AMERICAN OPPOSITION TO OUR AIMS IN CHINA,” SAID MR. ARITA, THE FOREIGN MINISTER, REPLY- ING • To A QUESTION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, -
He added: "Fortunately the situa-. tion has not yet reached a stage in which the United States completely denies our right to establish a new order in East Asia.
"The United States Government has often charged this country with violat- ing the Nine-Power Treaty but that view has never been recognised by Japan.
"If America tries to make us con- cede that point by force, then there will be a conflict between the two nations."-Reuter.
The Swiss newspaper "National"
Chamberlain, in his speech on Satur- the Franco-
says it is noteworthy that Mr. Neville day, emphasised that
British bloc was not a mere tempor- the Allies' intensive political and
ary fusion of interests but rather that
economic collaboration was intended to endure after the war and become the foundation of a new Europe,
This indicates. a break with the principle of the balance of power and rejection of isolation from the Con- tinent. It is an indication of the healthy realistic spirit of British policy, and that already at the be ginning of the war the principle of federation is taking concrete shape and is being kept clear of utopianism.
Mr. Chamberlain's ́ recognition that France and Britain must establish a lasting union before a united Europe. can emerge may prove of historic importance.--Reuter.
KAFFIRS ACTIVÈ ON LONDON STOCK
MARKET
London, To-day. Kaffirs strongly advanced through- out yesterday's session of the Stock Exchange as a result of the South African budget statement.
Gilt-edged securities benefited from late quiet investment demand but in- dustrials were irregular.
Wall Street was irregular. Reuter,
OPENS TO-DAY KING'S
TEXTRA!
AT THE
LAUREL AND HARDY REVOLUTIONIZE THE MOVIES ...
WITH NEW LENGTH COMEDYI
HAL ROACH presents
STAN LAUREL OLIVER HARDY
a CHUMPat OXFORD G
With POKLESTER HARVEY WILFRED LUCAS PORSES MURRAY PRANK CAKE EDDIE, BORDEN”... dirested, by ˇALFRED SOURDIen^« monciato pendente HAI ROACH, Miks original story and servon play by CHARLES ROSIES, "PELEX", ADLER 400 KARRY SANSDON - » RELEASED THEU UNITED ARTHTH
BOOKING AT THE THEATRE. ⠀⠀
TELEPHONE NOS. 25313 & 25
9
e9
Pa
Pa