In an official statement by Major' Nishihara of the Japanese Army, the Japanese military authorities expressed great concern over the shooting in Jessfield Road on. 'August' 19, in Which two Ta Tao policemen were shot dead, two more Seriously wounded and three others reported to have been slightly wounded when they clashed with Probationary Sergeant W. L. Kinloch of the SMP.
Japanese officials, including Major Nishihara, paid a visit to the scene of August 19 battle yesterday afternoon where evidence of the fray was sull plainly visible on the bloodstained ground. The Japanese officers conducted an examination on the spot where the shooting occurred and later in the afternoon released their official statement. the road where the shooting took place, the report stated, was very harrow and traversed by busy traffic. The Army authorities deny the report of a morning contemporary that the SMP. patrol in the armoured car was challenged by the Ta Tao police and. further assert that the British policeman Kinloch) charge of the patrol red first.
Armed With Rifles The Army authorities can hardly believe that the Ta Tao police fired the first shot because they were) armed only with rifles and were not {in a position to challenge an armour-car, the report continued. In addi-lon the Army authorities place the blame for fung first on the SMP. because of the following reasons.
Armoured ear No. 9, which was involved in the incident on Aug. 19, was the one which attended the Ta Tao police station on Great Western Road when the, flag-pulling incident took place on the morning of July 17.
2. The Dane (Mr. H. P. Krogh) who committed the flag-pulling was killed on August 18 and the SALP. suspected that he had been killed by members of the Ta Tao organization.
3. After the shooting the SIP. tooic away the slightly wounded lest the real facts of the case be revealed.
'4. The dead and wounded were instantly removed to the Police Hospital in Yarstzepoo by the SMP.
For these Teasons we believe that the Shanghai Municipal Police fred first, the report concluded.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.