London, June 30.
Questions on Japanese action against British shipping in Swatow following the occupation of that port by the Japanese forces were asked in the House of Commons today by Mr. Philip Noel-Baker, Labour member for Derby.
Mr. Noel-Baker asked Mr. R. A. Butlet, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, regarding the action of the Japanese authorities at Swatow in preventing the British vessels Seistan and Kwangtung from entering port.
He also asked regarding the action of the Japanese in occupying Messrs. Butterfield & Swire's wharf, and hauling down the British flag; and concerning the declaration of the Japanese Commander-in-Chief in Tientsin that the blockade of the British' Concession would be inten-sifed.
Mr. Butler replied that these ships had not called at Swatow, on the advice of the local British naval authorities, Obstructions, he stated, had been placed in the neighbourhood of Messrs, Butterfield's wharf, but it had not yet been occupied.
Reports received by Lord Halifax (for Foreign Secretary) did not confirm Mr. Noel-Baker's account of the hauling down of the British flag, or the statement attributed to the Japanese Commander-in-Chief in Tientsin.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.