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VOL. II NO. 106

The

Put the Transsetom of HONGKONG TELEGRAPIL Fur and on behalf of

SOUTH CHINA MORNIJU PAST, LTD.

Printer und Publisher

Dino At the

P

G.

Hongkong Telegraph. G

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1947.

Harbour To Be Clear Of Wrecks

PALESTINE

Compromise Partition Plan Report

London, Feb. 5. AD Informed Government source said that the British Cabinet had decided to impose a compromise partition-federali- sation plan on Palestine.

No oficial statement was forthcom- int fraan No. 10 Downing Street,

The informant said that the new plan, which

may be kid before Amu

representatives

Inter

and Jewish on Tuesday. would divide Palestine. Into Arab

and Jewish territories with overall control held at least temporarily by the monda- tory power of Britain.

Both the Arabs and Jews previous- ly rejected partition a means of settling the Palestinian strife.

Jewish Agency

representatives!

held an emergency Fession to con- demanding the

der an ultimatum sampling out

In

Agency to co-operate violener in the Holy Land,

Amb officials flatly rejected any move to partition Palestine in fnco THOVE

of a report that the British Cabinet

had already decided to divide the Holy Lord into Arab and Jewish states

AÇLARIN SAARETTES EN ELS ARE PENTRALNY SNAPBANANESSAIRAUSKIEN

Gruner Case: New Move

Jerusalem, Feb. 4.

Ailter Lavitsky, lawyer for Dov Gruner, Jewish terrorlat under sentence of death, to-day received permission from the Palestine Supreme Court to communicate privately with the Privy Council in London and at once to send a cable.

The Court rejected the appli- cation for leave to appeal to the Privy Council against the deci. sion 91 the Jaquanlem High Court yesterday, which refused to grapt an order to stay the execution.

Gruner, on whose fate. British and Jews here say. the immedi- ale lave of security in Palestina hinges, withdrew his decision to Council appeal to the Privy against the death sentence on the

personal order of Menahem Ocigin, chief of the Irgun Zval Leum terrorists, it was learned last night.-Reuter,

Threat Of Famine

with Britain remaining temporarily Viet Namh Warning

in control.

The Arabe stand was taken at the meeting with British oficinis at which the Foreign Secretary, Mr Bevin, din- closed he would have "something to communicate within a few days.

An unofficial spokesman said the Palestine conference probably would end after Bevin had made his forth- comkug unnouncement-Associnted Prers.

JEWISH AGENCY ANGRY Jerusalem, Feb. 4. The Jewish Agency, in an official statement to-day, took "strong ex- ception" to the announcement by the Palestine

Government tlik the Agency's recent resolutions only "purported to condemn terrorism.

400 Agency's statement said that waa "ne warrant whatsoever

of insincerity"

for the implication of

ald

Hanol, Feb. 4.

1

A threat of famine among the the Vict Namhese £ Indo- China was indicated in a radio broadcast by Cu Buy Can, Under Secretary of State for Agricul- ture, in Dr, Ho Chi Minh's Viet Namhese Republle, a semi-official French despatch from Saigon stated to-day.

"With an eye to prolonged re- sistance," Cu tuy Can said, "it in necessary to keep up and increase the gigantic efforts accomplished by the Viet Namhese people in 1940 to filumph over famine."

The French Commissioners

In 21 Months

GOVERNMENT & NAVY ON SALVAGE WORK

In less than two years from now, the com mercial port area of Hongkong's harbour will be clear of wrecked ships-morbid hang- over from World War II.

Both the Hongkong Government and the British naval authorities are now busy on the task of salvaging these wrecks, the Harbour Master (Mr J. Jolly) told the "Telegraph" to-day.

First job is to clear the commercial port of wrecks which are not only a danger to shipping, but which, in certain cases, are a handicap to dockyard facilities.

A certain amount of salvaging was carried out by the naval authorities in the early days of reoccupation, anid Mr Jolly. More

recently the Hongkong Government made arrangements with the Admiralty to churter two lifting craft and the cre

ship, Selsho Maru, on the "bare boat' basis, which means that government pays for the crews, fuel and other operat- Ing coats.

The two lifting craft were taken over two months ago; the Seisho Maru will be taken over during this month.

of salvage. If this offer is not ac- repted, government will realise what It can from sale of scrap and fittings, and in some cases, even the hull, to meet the costs of salvaging.

#

is estimated that the cost of re covering and removing the wrecks will be about $1,000,000, a part of which is expected to be recovered either through salvage charges through sale of the wrecks.

or

Permission for spending the mil- lion dollars on the work has been obtained from the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Jolly

said

tint when the had been clear-

Mr The arrangement is that the Hong-commercial kong Government will be responsibleed, work on lifting wrecks outside of for clearing the commercial port and the naval authorities the man-of-war

the harbour limits would be carried out. But this was not urgent as the anchorages. The proportion of work wreeks were no danger to shipping. is 60 Hongkong Government to 40

Furthermore, there was nothing to naval authorities.

owners of these wrecks from prevent The

first of the

government's

making their own arrangements for salvaging tasks is now most com- salvaging. However, at the present picted the Ufting of a wrecke lodged time, the Government possessed the under the 100-son crane at the Kow-

only salvage craft, and he doubted loon Docky.

whether it would be worth anyone's from Australia. expense to bring salvage equiment

When

that has been done two wrecks which ore fouling the fitting out yard at Taikon Dockyard will be lifted.

These jobs have been given No. 1

:

for priority because they will criable the SIGNIFICANT

Ave provinces of Indo-Chink met in ¦ port repair fucilities to be employed

to better advantage. Saigon to-day for the second day

under the presidency of Admiral Commissioner, are expected Thierry d'Argenlleu, French High several days.

to last

in hunting Christmas. down terrorists, declared: "In splie of a recent resolution purporting The talks, which began yesterday condemn bloodshed and terrorism. there have been few signs that any action was contemplated by the Jewish nuothorities or community to make use of the only mens avall able for the enforcement of law and order, namely security forces.

"In fact, the Jewish Agency hat now openly refused the

Its co-operation with the Government in this matter."

The Jowish Agency's statement says: "The Jewish Agency Executive has received · a letter from the Chiet. Secretary of yesterday's duto.

The letter was brummediately com municated to the members of the Executive in London, New York and Washington and a reply will be sent

cannot be

mits

there

im-

TRIPS BY

CHIANG

Burnt-Out Steamer

For

Reservations

Price 20 Cents

Worst fire disaster, ever to occur in Hongkong harbour caused the partial destruction of the river ateamer Sai On yesterday, with the death roll 124 up to last night. Picture shows a fireman playing on

the smouldering ruins of the ship's superstructure.—Ming Yuen.

STALIN REJECTS DECORATION

Paris, Feb. 4. Generalissimo Stalin has re- fused the French Militay Medal -the highest Fench military de. coration-the French

Foreign announced to French Office

for the

to

In ដ note to the Government

Generalissimo Stalin, after thanking France Bald: 'Bince gesture, Lenin has been contrary tradtion that the leader of the Soviet Government, or

any minister, should accept a for- elga decoration."

same

Les than a month ago General the Charles de Gaulle refused

decoration on grounds that he was being awarded it on the basis of what be had secon plished as leader of the country and that it was not in order for a government chief to accept a decoration which in effect he himself awarded--Reuter.

KUTININKASARANAENSEZINOMEREN KONNANGU

SNOW-BOUND YORKSHIRE

estate a young reol

SAI ON INQUIRY

Decision Announced

An inquiry into the Sai On disaster will be held in a few weeks time.

This was disclosed by the Harbour Master Mr J. Jolly, this morning.

No further bodies have been re- covered from the burnt-out river steamer since late Inst night, although fremen believe there, may still be some under debris which they have not yet been able to "comb,"

Fire Brigade officials are still not in a position to state the cause of the

fire.

UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT

General's Warning

Tel: 27880

BIG FOUR DEFER 3 POINTS

German Treaty

London, Fch. 4.

The Big Four Foreign Minis- ters deputies for Germany to- day decided: Firstly, to defer, at the request of the Soviet Am-. bassador, Mr Gusev, disenssion of the reply to be sent by the deputies to the Italian request to be heard on the German | treaty. :

Secondly, defér discussion of the communication received from the inter-Allied Reparations Agency In order to give Mr Gusev time to study the text.

Thirdly, to defer study of the re- port from the Drafts Committee of the skeleton plan of the deputies' eventual report to the Foreign Ministers, Mr Gusev had no Runglan lest of this report.

The deputies received a communt- cation

from

Luxembourg Government to say that the Luxembourg delegation would arrive to-morrow afternoon in London. It is expected to present a memoraD- dum on Germany in the next Jow days and will be heard orally on Thursday.

the

Discussion of the Frenchs menorth- dum on procedure, which had been expected to-day, was, not reached and will probably take place to- morrow

To-day's sertion of the German deputies was almost cutirely devoted to the hearint of the New: Zéninnu statement presented by the Now Zealand High Commisioner, Mr W J. Jordan. After Mr Jordan

hindi rend his Government's memorandum be was asked a number of questions, Guscy and My principally by Mr Robert Murphy, of the United States. Mr Jordan undertool id refer the questions on the extent of Allied control in Germany, to his Govern- ment,

or for a more precise answer. Patrick Dean, head of the German Department of the Yoreign Office, to-day deputised. for: Bic William Strang as British delegate. Str. William, who is in Berlin, is ex- pected back in London to-morrow. N. ZEALAND OPINION New Zealand, whose views on Germany were received to-day by the German deputies at Lancaster House, made several original cori- tributions to the sum total af Anfed opinion, which has accumulated from the hearing of Allied views.

Firstly, in urging that a careful Staggart, Feb. 4. study should be given to detaching Lt. Gen Lucius Clay, Deputy Com and placing under International con mander of the U. S. Army in Ger. trol certain areas vital to the Ger many, told the press to-day that the man war potential" she became the first of the lesser powers to support ties in Germany to begin worrying the French theory that the Rubr about the

be detached and inter- organised

should underground

nationally controlled it Europe is to movement.

be made securd ngälust renewed Gen Clay's statement came when aggressioni: he was questioned about recent charges of underground activities con-

Secondly, in reedummending that

The Palestine Government in

of talks on the aghting with Viet Not all of the wreeks will be raised, its Nomb (Indo-Chinese ultimatum to the Agency last night, troops, which has raged since before possible to do so, said Mr Jolly.

nationalista) | because it will be technically calling for Jewish

Where

they

raised they will be dispersed, by explosives, and the parts brought up from the harbour piecemeal by the crane ship. The tanker which is lying on its

London, Feb. 4. side at the western end of the har

Four rail workers collapsed near will be righted Meanwhile, Mr Trevor Wilson, the bour British Consul-in-Hanol, was to-day brought-up-by-

and then

Nanking, Feb. 5. Manchester to-day from the severe taking part in the first meeting he

craft -lifting

Generalissimo Chiang Kal-cold and one of them was reported Mr Jatly disclosed that within shek made another inspection seriously ill. At Whitby, Yorkshire,

barbour tween the International Red Cross the and Viet Namh troops. The talks about 11 major wrecks to be sol- trip by air to China's war front London and his wife were feared lost tinio has come for American authori

ngent from were arranged to discuss the release vaged, and the work will be shared us the impression grow in the in a suowstorm in which they dis- of French and foreign hastages, and by the Hongkong Government and capital that the Government appeared late yesterday. were being held at a secret meeting

the naval authorities,

had abandoned all hope of com. place.

Capt. Doust, C.B.E.. Who

was promise with the Communists. Officer, With Mr Wilson was Mr Charles formerly Salvage

Royal Aeshliman, Swiss International Red Navy

25 is now acting

There was every indication that Cross

South-east Adviser to the Hongkong Govern Chiang had ordered Aupervisor for

a full-scple Asin. He had travelled specially for ment.

When the various craft have been communication lines and drive the general offensive to reopen disrupted the meeting from Singapore.

The vanguard of the French raised, they will be offered to their Reds from key areas. Foreign Legion, which is moving to- rightful owners in return for the cost warde Hus, in Annain, has linked with other French forces in

JENCANTARANEMOMETREATNESSA that Saigon reported to-day. area, a semi-niliciul despatch from

in due course.

The Executive therefore does not propose at this stage to enter into

the very grave matters contained in

this letter but it cannot refrain from taking strong exception to the state- ment that recent resolutions adopted merely by the Jewish authorities 'purported condemn bloodshed. There is no warrant whatsoever for this implied charge of Insincerity." -Reuter.

EVACUATION GOES ON

Jerusalem. Feb. 5. Evacuation convoys of the British women and children rolled out of the (Conttuned on Pago 4)

EDITORIAL

Mme. Jacquemart, a Belgian wo- man who has been held ng hostage by the Viet Namhese since December 19 last year has been released, accord- ing to another French report received here to-day. The negotiations for her release were opɑhad a month ago by British, United States and Chinese Consuls in Honol, and were talten up recently by the delegate of the International Red Cross for South-cast Asia.-Reuter,

Away With The Wrecks!

SLOWLY perhaps, but certainly perceptibly, the visual reminders of the

war are being removed from the angry eyes of Hongkong's residents. First came the Immediate rehabilitation, tasks the tidying up of thorough. fares and the cleansing of polluted lands and alleyways; later the gradual clearing of bombed and shelled building sites; then, very much more ro. cantly, the job of obliterating the Japanese war memorial, on which marked progress has been made. Now, through this paper, comes the disclosure that the Government, together with the naval authorities are going ahead alearing the harbour of weeeks.

To some people, the dally sight of war-time wrecks littered around the harbour has made thom more infuriated than the omnipresent Jap memorial, and from time to time, members of the public have subscribed to the newspapers their Impatience at the delay in removing these, un-' eightly Impedimenta. Now that the work is in hand, it is, perhaps, as well to offer a reminder why. Ita Initiation did not come earlier and why is progress has not been very spectacular. Government could not assume the task during the first twelve months, of recccupation because it possessed no salvaging equipment or facilities.. The Royal Navy went ahead and cleaned up the wrecks that were a direct menace to shipping; but their responsibilty could never be expected to go beyond naval anchorage limits. What is more, from the civil government's point of view there has long been mora" "pressing problems related to harbour rehabilitation-she relaying ́of busys and the reinstatement of shipping lanes which would enable the har. -bour once again to become fully open to vessale of all sorts and sizes."

The public, undoubtedly, will be happy to know that the work of olearing the wrecks is now fully in hand. It will appreciate too, the obvious wisdom of firet removing obstruotions that at the prevent binder port. fasili. ́tles. ɛ in due course the ships that to-day mar the harbour views with their protruding maste and. funnola and their half-turtled hulls will be gone, and with them, unplóksantiramlóðars of uitplekzant times.

Salvage

STOP PRESS

TEST MATCH

The 6th day's play in the fourth test match ut Adelaide opened dramatically this

morning when Washbrook was caught by Tallon be- hind the wicket off Lindwall in the first.over.

Showdrifts 15 to 20 feet deep out- side Sheffield paralyzed all food distribution and rail traffic, Coal supplies in many homes had become critically short.

Sub-freezing weather forced the abandonment of all pen cast mining in South Yorkshire.

While some areas experience the

Only on Sunday Chiang visited the suchow base in Shantung pro-

worst blizzards in a generation, the ment be the last to deny the vince, where Government columns were converging on the important sun blazed down upon Penzance in Communist centre of Lini. To-day the southwest, where primroses and possibility that Nazi-sponsored sub-to distribute essential information

snowdrops bloomed.

he few to Chengchow, his Army headquarters in Honan province, and conferred with top commanders. He returned to Nanking at nightfall.

The Generalissimo's personal in- terets in the elvil war underscored General, Marshall left-Associated accelerating pace of hostilities since Press.

TO STAY SILENT

Washington, Feb. 4. Washbrook and Hutton sent up the The House Foreign Affairs Com- 100 before the wicket fell. Huttenmittee to-day unanimously rejected adding three to his overnight score proposed legislation demanding c.m. and his partner one,

plete information as to why the United States decided to withdraw American troops from China.

Later.

132 for 1. Hutton not 74. Edrich not 19-Neuter.

Later.

138 for 2. Hutton, b Johnson 76.

RIFLED SAI ON CORPSES

It acted after receiving a leller from General George Marshall, pro- |mising his fullest co-operation with Congress, Legislation demanding more complote Information was in- troduced by Representative Edith Nourse Roger

Marshall's letter was in reply to one from the chair man, Charles A. Eaton. Enton asked The alertness of two Fire Brigade for his views on the Committee-re- officers who saw coolies riling solution calling for a study of the and enunciating corpses being taken from the gutted State Department steamer Sal On to the mortuary led the desire to follow abi-partisan to the prosecution of two Sanitary policy in international matters. The Department lorry drivers at Central Committee's resolution had laylted Court this morning, when Yuen Marshall to co-operate with the Com King Won, 28, and Leung Sing, Cho,mittee in its aims. He replied, "Let 27, were charged with unlawful me say immediately that I will be possession of HK$341 and CN$20,500. glad to accept the invitation of the

It was stated, that the lorry in Committee." which defendants were, was trailed "On behalf of the President and by Mr Brown and Mr Brooks of the myself I fully reciprocate the Com Fire Brigade. The Intter noticed mitteo's desire to achieve blipartisan that, coolles were extracting some co-operation, Marshall said. things, from; the¦dead bodies and Chairman Clare Hellman

of the handing them to the driver's com- Executive Expenditures. Committeo partment. A search was carried out had previously hinted that his com- when the truck arrived at the mittee was interested in looking into in defendants possession. mortuary and the money was found the State Department. He resented what he called "don't stick your nose Mr Sheldon ined defendants $250 Into the State Department dictum or 3 months Imprisonment.

|from the Foreign Adalis, Committee.

United Press.

between Dozens of coal trucks Yorkshire and the Industrial Mid- lunds were buried deep in the snow while their drivers sought refuge in neighbouring villages.--United Press,

"long overdue land reforms, which tained in a report by the Interna- have not been carried out under the tonal Committee for European Ques occupation should be lapponed as tions. High ranking military author-treaty obligatihar, New Zealand ties had previously denied that any implictly criticises failure to carry

out these reforms in the organised German underground move.

Brilish existed.

Zone, thus echoing recent Soviet criticisms on the sand subject.

Thirdly, in calling on the Big Four and documentation to the allies, New Zealand is adopting a line identical to the recommendation made in the French memorandum on procedure, which is expected to be discussed to-morrow-Reuter.

versive

groups

may exist in the American Zone," Ciny sail in bis statement. "Actually the surprise time has just now arrived when we should

begin to worry about such underground groups."--United Press.

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