1938-03-10 — Page 11

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 10, 1938.

COLNONY'S BILL FOR SHANGHAI REFUGEES Foreign Office Asked To Pay Over $300,000

M.P.s Critical That Any Refugee Should Have Met Own Cost

7

London, To-day. Introducing the Foreign Office Supplementary Es- timates in the House of Commons, including the grant of £5,000 to Sir Hughe Knatchbull- Hugessen, ex-Ambassador to China, as com- pensation for his injuries, the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. R. A. Butler, said he was happy to say that Sir Hughe's health was improving steadily.

"We sincerely hope it will be restored so as to en- able him to continue to render the conspicuous service to the country which he has given in the past." (Cheers)."

-NAVAL-

BUILDING

HOLIDAY

Washington, To-day.

A resolution asking President Roosevelt to propose a naval building holiday until January 1, 1940, and to call an arms limita- tion conference in Washington in October, has been introduced in the House of Representatives.-~-~~ Reuter.

MANOEUVRES OUTSIDE H.K.

Canton, To-day.

THREE JAPANESE PLANES SHOT DOWN AT SIAN

HANKOW, TO-DAY.

REPORTS FROM THE NORTH- ERN WAR SECTORS INDICATE THAT BOTH CHINESE AND JA- PANESE AIRCRAFT WERE

ON VERY ACTIVE

TUESDAY THIS WEEK IN SPETE

OF BEINDING SNOWSTORMS.

Chinese planes raided Japanese artillery positions in South Shansi, while Japanese machines bombed Chengchow and Sianfu.

The former town WES raided: twice by a total of seventeen ma- chines, first in the morning by Chinese officials confirm the re-nine planes and later in the after- port that a small fleet of Japanese noon by eight raiders. warships, including armed trawlers, Referring to an item of £15,000--the cost of trans-

When the Japanese planes visit- are carrying out maneouvres in the led Sianfu, the Chinese defenders port to Hong Kong, and the maintenance there, vicinity of the Chung Shan coast, took to the air and engaged the in- of British subjects, mostly women and children but believe that the "war games" vaders, who drew off evacuated mainly from Shanghai at the out-of the Japanese to frighten the

are only a demonstration on the part groups. break of hostilities, Mr. Butler paid a tribute to villagers. the British consular representatives.

He said their work had been ex- About 3,300 Britons paid for ac- tremely hard. They had not known commodation in Hong Kong them- any regular hours and their re-selves, only 500 becoming a charge sponsibilities had been immense. on the Government. Many of the Mr. Butler mentioned that before latter had money which they were the evacuation of these refugees, unable to obtain from the area of they had been asked to undertake to hostilities, and it was therefore per- repay the cost of passage and main-fectly legitimate for the Government tenance in Hong Kong, but as many to ask them to repay the sum. of them were in straitened circum- Mr. Henderson asked in regard to stances, they were unable to pay those not in a position to pay. this preliminary expense themselves. Mr. Butler, replying, said “We Referring to Britons who had fled were actuated by humanitarian prin- to Hankow, Mr. Butler gave the ciples." assurance that the future position

of Hankow would be carefully watch-

ed, particularly the possibility of establishing a zone" which would

war if it should

•

“SHABBY”

No particular attention is being these activities of the Japanese. paid by the Canton authorities to

Our Own Correspondent,

in two

The Chinese airmen concen- trated on one of these groups, and later claimed to have brought down three Japanese machines. —Beuter.

ITALIAN MISSION BOMB ATTACKS

CASUALTIES AT CHENGCHOW

Hankow, To-day.

ON BRITISH DESTROYERS

London, To-day.

A brief message received by

Replying to a question in the the Italian Embassy confirms pre- Commons, the Parliamentary Secre Mr. D. R. Grenfell (Labour, Gow-vious Chinese reports that sever- *be free, as far as possible, from), formally moved a reduction on al members of the Italian Mission tary to the Admiralty confirmed that the Foreign Office vote for the op- on the outskirts of Chengchow ever reach-Hankow

position:

were killed and wounded in the

“UNPRECEDENTED"

He declared that asking British raid by Japanese planes on March refugees from China to pay the cost Mr. Butler, replying to questions, of their conveyance was very shab- admitted that the grant to the Am-by and suggested the Japanese bassador was unprecedented, and

should be asked to foot the bill and said that a case of this sort musta

also to pay the grant of $5,000 to be considered on its merits in the future.

+

It remained the view of the Government that this was no mat ter to be condoned by the payment of a monetary grant by the Japan

the Ambassador.

Lt. Col. Sir Edward Grigg (Con- servative, Altringham), while in no way questioning the propriety of the grant to the Ambassador, pointed out that it created a new precedent, and asked if it was to be generally applied to cases of Replying to a question from Mr. other distinguished officers wound- Arthur Henderson in regard to ed or killed in the discharge of events in Nanking, Mr. Batler as their duty in the Diplomatic Ser- sured him that the Japanese, accord- vice.

ese.

ing to his information, had taken Mr. Geoffrey Mander (Liberal Op- steps to send a suitable officer to position) also asked whether the see there was no recurrence of such Japanese Government would be events.

REFUGEES IN HK..

pressed to repay to the British Gov- ernment the grant to the Ambassa- dor. He contended that this was the very least they should be expect led to do.

In regard to refugees from Shang hai, Mr. Eutler said that between Mr Grenfell's motion was defeat August 17 and August 24, 4,058 ed by 209 votes to 111, and the Esti- persons including 3,800 Britons, were mates were carried by 207 votes to sent to Hong Kong.

110. Reuter.

8.

the

the destroyers Blanche and Brilliant were attacked on Sunday midday by five aircraft whilst proceeding to investigate a bombing which had taken place near a British steamer. The message, which was des

Mr Shakespeare said that patched by the Italian Bishop at destroyers were undamaged but the Chengchow, states that two Ita Government took a serious view of han priests were killed outright such attacks and a suitable protest and other members of the Mis-was being addressed to the Spanish sion wounded Reuter.

Government-British Wireless.

Those who know....

Insist

on

EWO

Jardines Te170311