PEARL POACHERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 601, 4 August 1933, Page 5

PEARL POACHERS

(Press Assn.—

accounts of outrages pedpetrated BY japanese raids ON a yillage

-By Telegoaph — Copyright).

Sydney, August 3. An account of the operations of a pearl-shell poaching Japanese sampan in the Banks' group of islands, in the northern and western sections of the New Hefrr-ides, in M-ay, was given by Mr. D. Askew, a sulphur miner, who has arrived in Sydney. Mr. Askew says that the natives on the island of Uraparraparra complained that the crew of the Japanese vessel, numbering forty-five, raided their village iand cleared all gardens of vegetables. They then left, taking with them not only all the shell collected on the beach, but also native boats. A few days later the sampan appeared off Vgnua Lava, and five canvas collapsible boats made for the shore. Mr. Askew and another white resident set off in a launch to intercept the boats, which made off at great speed. The sampan put to sea at a rate of about twenty-two knots. It was apparently fitted with a powerful Diesel engine.