THE SPY SENSATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 35, 9 February 1906, Page 5

THE SPY SENSATION.

CONSUL'S EXPLANATION. .. REJECTED BY HARBOUR TRUST <By CaWe—Press Association.— CourtisP^ SYDNEY, February 8. Tbe Japanese Consul-General at Sydney says that he has received no information, official or otherwise, about the seizure of plans of the fortifications of j Sydney in the possession of two Japanese ! described as merchants. However, he is able to surmise that the passengers referred to were Mr. Nishi- | kawa and Mr. Kanematsu. The former | visited Australia as the representative of a foreign trade association at Kobe, to i make inquiries about harbour administra- ! tion at Sydney, with a view to applying j the experiences here to the improving of ] the administration of the harbour at j Kobe. Sir. Kanematsn is a well-known ! merchant, with a branch house in Sydney. ! Mr. Nishikawa was given every facility ; by the Sydney Harbour Trust to inspect ! their methods, and received plans, which j may have occasioned a mistake by the I Customs officials. He ridicules the idea that they are fortification plans. On the other hand, the Harbour Trust officials are emphatic that no plans were supplied to Mr. Nishikawa except the sketch of a shed on the wharf, which it would be quite impossible for the Customs officials at Goode Island to mistake for plans of fortifications.