FORMIDABLE ENEMY SPY RING WORKING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 176, 28 July 1942, Page 6

FORMIDABLE ENEMY SPY RING WORKING

AGENTS IN AUSTRALIA Believed Put Ashore From Submarines Sprci.ii Aiiid'iilian Correspondent l 111' r-iI I'i i ss Association.—Copyright '' a.m. SYDNEY, this day. Thf (.'■ >11 nll on woa 1111 Government h.i.-. almost positive evidence that a tnm.idnlile enemy spy ring, assisted '•y I"'m! .inti-Hrit ish elements, is "perafiiiK in Australia. It is conidcfed lik'ly that the ntimbei' of enemy .iKi'iits could have been rein- ''" i <•'I I>\ landings on the coast I'mm Japanese Mihmaiino. The Australian -luihorities are gravely concerned by the apparent leakage to Ihe enemy in recent months of ( lo.seiy-Kitardeti military secrets. Evidence possessed by Federal official.* suggests that Japan has spies here who move in highly-respected social and bu.-iness circles, and pick up information which should be kept secret. There are some grounds for the theory that recent instructions to spies in thi-; country have been brought ashore from a submarin" Tli public has been warned be on Kuard against sabotage. Measures have been taken to strengthen the guards over war establishments munition factories and centres of communical ion. Recent experience in America has underlined the Axis method of introducing enemy agents to a country by submarine. The long stretches of unguarded coastline make this a grave danger to Australia. During the last session of the Federal Parliament, the Minister of the Navy and Munitions, Mr. Makin, gave an assurance that the authorities were investigating the possibility of crews of enemy submarines having been in contact with enemy agents in Australia. The Intelligence Branch is making intensive efforts to uncover fifth column activity, which is known to be rampant here.