Other instances of interference have also been reported, One foreigner who sends a small lorry out at regular intervals to collect vegetables from a private garden in the Hungjao area had the entire load confiscated by the Japanese sentries at the Hungjao Road barrier.
Another gardener, also employed by a Briton, attempted a day or two ago to bring some native rice in to his relatives, having found that the Saigon rice—which was all he could get in the Settlement—was not quite suitable for either invalids or young children. The rice was kept for 24 hours by the sentries and then returned to him after he had been forced to pay $10.
On other occasion, the small lorry already referred to was commandeered by a Japanese soldier, who pushed the driver out of the vehicle and drove off into the country. There he collected a pile of his own belongings. brought these back and then returned the lorry to its driver. The trip taken by the Japanese soldier was about seven miles, the chauffeur later reported, and took about an hour.
It is also reported that the danger of looting in the Hungjao area, particularly of unwatched properties, is daily growing greater. While most of the houses have watchmen on the premises, a great deal of unbuilt property is merely protected by wooden fences, which are removed "in large slices" by the Chinese. This is done right under the very eyes of the Japanese soldiers and of the Chinese police ofücers under their control. It is reported, furthermore, that the sentries at the barriers charge the looters fifty cents a bundle to let them through, Competent observers state that this is fast developing into a veritable traffic, and that if it is not stopped immediately Chinese from other districts may visit Hungjao to help in the looting. noon they were again located, with the result that the bombers sank another warship at Lukang.
On January 11, two Japanese troop trains at the Hsuanchen Railway station were heavily bombed by Chinese planes.
In addition to the bombing raids, the statement continues, the Chinese air force scored big successes in aerial engagements against Japanese aeroplanes at Nanning, the capital of Kwangsi province, where the Chinese aviation school is located. The Chinese students, who are undergoing training gave a surprisingly good Showing, the report declares, in aeríal combats on January 1, 7, 8, 10 and 11. In these raids one Japanese plane was shot down on the 7th, three Japanese pursuit machines and one Japanese bomber were shot down the following day, two planes were destroyed on January 10 and another two on the lith, Several aerial engagements were fought at Nanchang, in which both Chinese and Japanese aircraft suffered losses.
The Chinese bombers, which are mostly of Soviet manufacture, are extremely fast, attaining a speed of 250 miles per hour, Their speed and the fact that they are said to be "noiseless" attribute much to their success in bombing raids, the report concludes.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.