SUSPICIOUS ACTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1917, Page 7

SUSPICIOUS ACTION.

LAUNCH CALLS AT COOK ISLANDS. By Telegraph.-—Press Association Auckland, Sept. 21. Great excitement was caused at Aitutaki, in the Cook group, at the end of August, by the arrival of a steam launch manned by six foreigners, claiming to bo Americans. Two of the men in khaM suits and helmets landed and informed the Resident Commissioner that they had left Honolulu on July 28 and were making a trip to the Islands and hack for a wager of £ISOO. Some traders and natives expressed strong suspicion of the party and urged the Resident Agent to detain them, out qften staying ashore about five liours they left. It is stated.that the men of the party had a distinctly foreign accent and that they claimed to be Norwegian Americans. The two officers were dressed in khaki and were clean shaved and the four sailors had a distinctly smart naval appearance. Their launch was a smartlooking craft or four or five tons with a wlialcboat stern, cutter rigged, and the mast set up with wire rigging. The white paint showing .was quite fresh and did not bear out the story that she had finished a trip of 34 days. She was an open launch, with fenders around the gunwale. The prevailing opinion among the natives was that she came from 3ome "mother" ship out of sight Jf the island.