§ Lieut.-Colonel PARRYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will publish or lay upon the Table the Report of His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokio on the whole subject of Mr. Shaw's alleged action in affording means of escape and asylum to Koreans; whether His Majesty's Government acquiesces in the 607W assumption by the Japanese Consul-General at Mukden that a British subject on Chinese territory is not free to afford means of escape from Korea or asylum in Antung to Koreans fleeing from Japanese political persecution; whether His Majesty's Government will inquire into the truth of the statement which appeared in the Japanese Press regarding the attempt by armed Japanese police to board a British ship and to search a British subject's house in Chinese territory; whether it is the view of His Majesty's Government that a British subject violates a neighbouring State's right by giving asylum to political agitators on neutral territory; whether His Majesty's Government will take immediate steps to see that Mr. Shaw is adequately defended when he is tried; and whether it will make representations to the Japanese Government on the manner in which he has been treated whilst awaiting trial?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe question of laying papers will be considered when further reports which are now awaited have been received. As regards the second part of the question, there is no evidence to show that this assumption was ever made by the Japanese Consul-General. What he asked His Majesty's Consul-General at Mukden was that he would influence Mr. Shaw to discontinue his unfriendly attitude towards Japan. Telegraphic inquiries are being made as desired in part (3). If by part (4) the hon. and gallant Member means to inquire whether the giving of asylum to political refugees is in itself a violation of the rights of a neighbouring State, the answer is in the negative. The charge against Mr. Shaw, whether substantiated or not, is of having assisted revolutionaries. Action as indicated in part (5) has already been taken. His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokio reported on August 6th that the best legal assistance was being obtained for Mr. Shaw from Japan. In reply to part (6), as soon as His Majesty's Consul-General at Seoul heard of Mr. Shaw's arrest he sent His Majesty's Vice-Consul to the spot. Mr. Shaw told the Vice-Consul that he was being well treated and had no complaint to make, but he desired that proceedings might be transferred to Seoul, where he was accordingly moved on 31st July. There seems, therefore, to be no ground for representations608W on the subject of his treatment.