JAPANESE POACHERS.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20255, 26 July 1937, Page 10

JAPANESE POACHERS.

SHELL THIEVES SURPRISED. AUSTRALIAN INCIDENT. PATROL SHIP’S EXPERIENCE. The activities of Japanese pearlshell poachers on the North Australian coast and the experience of a patrolship which surprised them make interesting reading in a letter from an Australian friend received by Mr A. H. C.ihson. of Ngaio. The Australian writer states:— Your Ministers seem to be boasting about the 40-hour week at Geneva. What are they going to do about the Japanese imports, especially textiles, where in that country they work a seven-day week and a 12-hour day? Are they going to black out all the Japanese cheap stuff? £22,000 Worth of Shell. Our Alinister of Defence, who has been holidaying in England for some months, lias Just given us a specimen of his knowledge of defence matters. The new patrol boat lias Just arrived from a trip along the northern coast, where in one of 111 .* bays she came upon an Armada of Japanese poaching luggers—some SO or so. There was great commotion when the pßtrolship was sighted, and each lugger made for the open sea at its top speed. However, two worn arrested at gun-point, one of them the Mothership. said to have had £22.000 worth of peart-shell on board. These two were then compelled to follow the patrol boat on the return

to Darwin. However, 'they had not gone far when the engines of the patrol boat broke down, and she bad to get one of tlie Japanese boats to take her in tow. It seems that the engine-room of the patrol boat is so small that the chief engineer, who is a large man, cannot enter, necessitating the employment of assistant engineers, not fully qualified men, but smaller in size. The engines were consequently ruined, and will have to be replaced with new ones. As a result of this breakdown of the engines it was unsafe to venture into the open sea, and an inshore route had to be taken. As the big Japanese Mother-ship could not travel in shallow water, she had to he released, and a small lugger was taken in her place. Australia Laughing. The next event was that the patrol [boat dropped her tailshaft. So, proceeding at four to six knots, it looktwo to three days to reach Darwin. On arrival it was found that there was no place where the Japanese crews could be confined, so the only alternative was to put both Japanese crews on the one ship and bid them clear out. This, as they were expecting gaol, they were only to pleased to do. The net result of’the expedition was one Japanese kigger without a crew, now lying in Darwin Harbour with batches sealed. Aboriginal girls were | found hidden in two of the luggers. After this specimen of enieiency, which has been the laughter of Australia. and doubtless of Japan, our Government is waking up to what is I going on in the Northern Territory. There are to lie two larger patrol boats, ‘perhaps three, with an armed launch, able to travel in shallow water. This kind of thing—stealing pearlshell. and I he frame in native girls.— has been going on long enough, and is saJd to be prevalent in Papua and New

Guinea, and the islands in Torres Straits, where Japanese luggers land 40 men at a time and roll the natives of their shell, threatening to shoot if obstructed.