STRANGE CRAFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 183, 4 August 1936, Page 10

STRANGE CRAFT.

JAPANESE VESSEL. ARMED YACHT GIVES CHASE. SEA DRAMA OFF FIJI. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SUVA, July 20. Captain Mullins, of H.M.C.S. Pioneer, the armed Government yacht, reported yesterday that he saw a strange cr;ift some miles out from the north coast of Vanua Levu, and he changed his course to overhaul her. Gradually the vessels came nearer to each other, and the Pioneer, signalled the stranger to show her national colours. The stranger took no notice, but went on. The Pioneer, having increased his speed to 10 knots, overhauled her, and again the signal went up: "You should stop your vessel instantly." In answer to this summons the merchant ensign of Japan went up. When the Pioneer was abreast of the vessel, which was of the sampan type, with one short mast and one short funnel, the latter stopped. Captain Mullins, accompanied by an officer of H.M.S. Dunedin, went on board the Japanese craft. No one apparently could speak English, and no one on hoard the Pioneer could speak Japanese. The vessel was searched, but no illegal cargo, such as sici shell or beche-de-mer, was found. In the main hold, which was half full, were drums of Diesel oil equal to 5300 gallons, and capable of taking the vessel for another 7000 miles. The oil was stacked upon a lot of firewood, but what was under the firewood could not be ascertained.

There liad been a fire in the engine room and two of the erew had been badly burned. Captain Mullens offered to take the injured men to Taveuni Hospita.l, but the offer was refused. The vessel" was about 120 feet over all, and her engine was of 130 b.h.p. The log book was written in Japanese. The vessel carried the general Japanese charts of the Pacific, and 011 one of them there was a course traced in pencil passing through the Solomons, then to the New Hebrides to Kia, a small island off Vamia Levu, thence along the north coast of Vamia Levu to Pasco Bank, lying off Samoa. The visitors also saw some diving gear.

The master and engineer of the stranger were taken on board of the Pioneer for a meal, but all efforts to elicit an answer to many queries were without avail. The vessel and her name (in Japanese) on her stern were photographed, as well as some of the crew, and the vessels parted company, the Pioneer proceeding east to Udu Point, with the motor ship following. The Pioneer idled off Udu during the night, but did not see any sign of ship's lights, and when morning dawned there was no sign of the stranger.During the previous day the Pioneer kept in touch with H.M.S. Dunedin by wireless. The hull of the stranger had been painted white, but it had become a dirty grey. VESSEL SEEN LATER. FISHIXG FOR TROCHUS SHELL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SUVA, July 30. Ignoring the warning given by H.M.C.S. Pioneer lately, the Japanese motor ship was seen anchored off Udu Point fishing for troclius shell. Thus the master of the cutter Ono-i-Lau reported to-day on arrival in Suva. He said that the Japanese were using goggles and head dress, such as were seen by Captain Mullens, when he inspected the vessel. When last seen the visitor was off the small island of Kia, which was marked on their chart as a port of call, probably to take in water. 1 It was at Kia that a Japanese vessel landed men to take in water and fruit some 18 mpnths , ago. ,r