TURKEY'S REGRETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 173, 24 July 1934, Page 7

TURKEY'S REGRETS.

Shooting of British Naval Officer. TRAGIC MISUNDERSTANDING. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 2 p.m.) KUGBY, July 23. In reply to a Parliamentary question in regard to the recent "incident" off the Greek island of Samos, when Turkish sentries fired on a boat containing British naval officers and killed one of them, the Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, said further information indicated that the tragic occurrence was a result of a lamentable misunderstanding. The skiff in which the officers approached close to the Turkish coast was flying no .flag and the officers were not in uniform. According to a statement by the Turkish Government, the coastal patrols had strict orders to summon suspect craft to be questioned, and in the present caso they beckoned to the boat to approach. There was reason to think that this signal was misunderstood. At any rate, when the skiff moved away the Turkish guard repeatedly fired, with the result that SurgeonLieutenant Robinson was killed and fell into the water. Lieutenant Maunsell was slightly wounded. Lieutenant Robinson's body has not yet been recovered. The Turkish Ambassador to London had expressed his Government's very sincere regret that this tragic misunderstanding had occurred, and the Turkish Government had informed the British Ambassador at Istambul that it was deeply distressed at the occurrence. A funeral ceremony was held in Turkish waters, at which there, were present H.M.s. Qfueen Elizabeth, flying the flag of Commander-in-Chief and Admiral o? the Fleet; H.M.s. London, flying flag of Rear-Admiral commanding the first cruiser squadron; and H.M.s.' Devonshire, in which Lieutenant Robinson was serving. By order of the Turkish Government a Turkish destroyer also took part and cast a wreath into the sea with an inscription expressing sympathy and regret. , ...;.* The Turkish Government also spontaneously expressed a desire to pay a compassionate grant to relatives of the deceased officer. MR. STEVENS DECIDES. STAY IN STATE POLITICS. (Received 11 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The Premier, Mr. B. S. Stevens, announced that he did not propose to submit himself as a candidate for the forthcoming Federal elections. TRACTOR PARTY LEAVES. EFFORT TO REACH BYRD. NEW YORK, July 23. The following wireless message has >een received from the Byrd Antarctic expedition at Little America: —A tractor left the camp at 2.20 p.m. on t Friday for the Baling advance base, and ' by 1.30 a.m. on Sunday had. made its (i way to the 50-mile depot. The crew a cannot pick up the flag-marked trail d leading southward any longer as many f. of the markers are covered with enow, I j>,