London, Feb. 7.
Yangtze and Pearl Rivers were again among subjects of questions in the House of Commons yesterday.
Commander Arthur Marsden, Conservative member for the Chertsey Division of Surrey, asked whether any statement had been received from. the Japanese Government on the question of the reopening of the Yangtze. Mr. R. A. Butler, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, said no statement had been received on the subject subsequent to their Note of November 14.
Further evidence of Japanese trading on the Yangtze, he. added, had been communicated to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr, Hachiro Arita, by the British Ambassador in Tokyo, Sir Robert Craigie, on January 13.
Mr, A.V. Alexander, Labour member for the Hillsborough division of Sheffield, asked if the British Government was agreeable to this policy of holding up British shipping. Mr. Butler replied "Noe Regarding the Pearl River, Com= mander Marsden asked under what rule' of international law were the Japanese preventing British vessels {rom using the river.
The Japanese, replied Mr. Butler, alleged that the conducting of military operations on the river would bbe Impeded by the movement of third When asked by Mr, Arthur Her son, Labour member for the Kingswinford division of Staffordshire, whether the Government proposed to make any response to the request of the Chinese Government. for assist~ ance, Mr. Butler replied that certain proposals of the Chinese Government for economic assistance were under consideration, but he was unable, at present, to make a detailed statenient fon the subject,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.