§ 9. Mr. Moreingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that many of the British subjects in the Hongkew and Yangtzepoo districts of the international settlement of Shanghai, who have been deprived of access to their property by the Japanese occupation, are persons of small means, as, for example, boarding-house proprietors and widows, and that in some cases their property has been completely destroyed; and whether he will give instructions to His Majesty's Consul-General to render every possible assistance to persons of this class in preparing their claims for compensation?
§ Viscount CranborneI have not actually received any report on this particular point. I have no doubt that His Majesty's Consul-General is already doing everything in his power to assist these British subjects. I am, however, instructing him to render them such help as may be possible in the preparation of any claims.
§ 10. Mr. Moreingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the position of British subjects in the Hongkew and Yangtzepoo districts of the international settlement of Shanghai whose property has been occupied by the Japanese military authorities and thereafter destroyed by bombardment or otherwise in the course of hostilities, and of those who have been deprived of the use of their property by the occupation of the area by Japanese forces and since the beginning of hostilities have been refused access thereto; and what steps these persons can take to obtain redress?
§ Viscount CranborneBritish subjects whose property has been occupied by Japanese troops should prepare a claim for compensation for the occupation and for any damage that may have been caused thereby. Claims may also be prepared in respect of property damaged by bombardment or in respect of losses due to denial of access to property. All claims should be lodged immediately with His Majesty's Consul-General, who has received instructions to afford every assistance and information to inquirers.
§ Mr. MoreingWill my Noble Friend consider sending an instruction to the Consul-General, calling the attention of these unfortunate people who suffer these losses to the desirability of presenting their claims as soon as possible, so that pressure should come from this side as well as from whatever action they may be taking themselves?
§ Viscount CranborneI will consider that.
§ 15. Sir P. Harrisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the official declaration by the Japanese General in command at Shanghai, General Iwane Matsui, that he feels free to take any steps in the international settlement which military necessities may dictate and that he was unable to accept responsibility for the protection of the rights and interests of the various Powers concerned in Shanghai; and whether he has made any representations to the Japanese Government to safeguard British interests?
§ Viscount CranborneThe hon. Member is presumably referring to a report of statements said to have been made by General Matsui to representatives of the 9 Press. I have no confirmation of this report, and in any case the Japanese Government have already assured His Majesty's Government of their intention to respect British rights and interests in China. His Majesty's Ambassador has, however, been instructed to make inquiries of the Japanese Government.
§ 19. Mr. Thurtleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any further statement to make regarding the progress of the Nine-Power Conference at Brussels?
§ Viscount CranborneYes, Sir. The Japanese Government have now replied to the Note to which my right hon. Friend referred in his answer to the hon. Member for West Leeds (Mr. V. Adams) on 8th November. In this reply the Imperial Government state that they cannot do otherwise than maintain their point of view, which is that their action in China does not fall within the scope of the Nine-Power Treaty and that the most just and most equitable settlement is to be secured by direct negotiations between China and Japan, without the intervention of a collective organisation such as the Conference. The hon. Gentleman will have seen in the Press statements made at Brussels on Saturday by the representatives of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, France, the United States of America and other nations. The discussion is proceeding to-day when it is hoped that agreement will be reached by the Conference upon the text of a declaration on the basis of a draft which I understand has been submitted jointly by His Majesty's Government and the Governments of the United States of America and of France.