THE MINEFIELDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1918, Page 8

THE MINEFIELDS.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER

AN INTERESTING STORY.

By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.

Wellington, Last Night. The minefields off the New Zealand const were mentioned in the House this afternoon, members complaining of the inconvenience caused by the restrictions on shipping. Tin- Minister of Marine made come interesting statements,'in the course of his reply Mr. YVilford said the way in which the information regarding mineliekU had reached the New Zealand Government was a romance in itself. A German raider had left its home port with IiOO mines, and so complete, was the .British intelligence system that it was known now where all but two of these mines had been dropped.

The sweeping of mines was no simple xnat.ter. Directly information en me to hand the Naval Adviser secured the onlv two trawlers available in New Zealand waters, and the officers and crews of these boats had done marvellous work. The Dominion owed them a great debt of gratitude, but it was impossible for two boats to cover the whole of the mined area in a few months, and at present the minesweeper that had been >vorking in the north was away on another mission.

The mines, continued Mr. Wilford, had been moorod in depths of up to fifty fathoms. A strong current would cause a mine to sink deep; then a change of current would bring that mine near the surface again, possibly after the trawlers had passed on. The danger was very much greater than some people believed. Some thirtyfive inim-i had been destroyed, but others had still io be accounted for. It was likely, of course, that some of the mines laid by the raider had destroyed themselves, as a mine drifting ashore' on a rocky coast would be likely to explode, Experiments with, floats had shown that certain areas of the New Zealand coast were dangerous, since mines were liable to drift ashore there.