COAST PATROL

Evening Star, Issue 22559, 29 January 1937, Page 6

COAST PATROL

NORTH AUSTRALIA JAPANESE CONTEMPTUOUS Many evidences of the unauthorised operation of Japanese pearling luggers in Australian waters were found during a 1,000-mile cruise completed recently by the patrol boat Larrakia (reports a special representative at Darwin of the ‘ Sydney Morning Herald ’). In many places it was apparent that the aborigines were doing their best to defeat the object of the patrol. A chain of native signal fires sent warnings along the coast, and the Japanese luggers vanished from their anchorages. The Larrakia, a 45ft motor boat, which was commissioned by the Federal Government several months ago, has an almost impossible task to perform in the supervision of 900 miles of coastline. In addition, the Larrakia has to be ready for service as a “ crash ” boat for the air mail service across the Timor Sea. The aborigines are not stinted by the crews of the Japanese pearling luggers, and gifts of tobacco and food encourage the trading in aboriginal women., MORE BOATS NEEDED. From Bathurst Island to the Wessell group a fantastic story has been spread by aboriginal boys from the luggers. It is to the effect that the aborigines will receive large and frequent issues of tobacco and Hour “ when Australia belongs all same Japan.” The need for more effective policing of the northern coastline was very obvious during the Larrakia’s 900-mile trip to the new pearling grounds off East Arnhem Land. If a sincere effort is to be made to prevent Japanese from landing with impunity on the Australian coast at least three speedy power boats are essential. The institution of the patrol has made overseas Japanese pearlers careful in their invasions of Australian territorial waters, and there have been fewer breaches of international law than there were lasi year, but there is no doubt that unauthorised landings are still frequent along the northern coast. The inroads of the Japanese into the aboriginal sanctuary have already left a profound, mark on the natives, not only in the number of half-castes, but also in the trail of disease they have left behind them. ’ Pulmonary complaints, to which the aboriginal is peculiarly susceptible, have increased considerably. The coastline of the aboriginal reserve runs from the centre of Mountnorris Bay to Groote Eylandt, and in this area are numerous bays and inlets that are admirably suited for anchorages for luggers, with supplies of fresh water and wood available. The major attraction to the Japanese, however, is the native women. A large percentage of the oversea Japanese who visit Australia every year were formerly employed on Aus-tralian-owned luggers, and they are well acquainted with native psychology in regard to women. Among the worst offenders are the Japanese engaged on. luggers working from Darwin, against whoso landings on the coast, outside the reserve, there is no restriction. UNDESIRABLE ASSOCIATIONS. One of the worst features of the employment of aborigines on luggers is that they are coaxed away from the mission stations with offers of payment far greater than the missions can, afford. As soon as the luggers leave the district the aborigines are .sent back, and the effect of their association with the Japanese reacts detrimentally upon the mission boys. The Darwin Japanese contend that because of the distance they operate away from their base while working the new pearling grounds 240 miles away, they are compelled to land on the coast for water. it has been suggested that as a temporary expedient the missions within the reserve should be made the only permissible watering places and shell and fuel dumps; that only aborigines be allowed asflore, and then only between dawn and dark. The missions are agreeable to this course, provided that the Government stations an officer at the mission to supervise. Such a measure, however, would defeat the whole object of the reserve, and if it is carried into effect the idea of an aborigine reserve should be abandoned. It is pointed out that an effective measure which would, to a certain extent, break down the liaison between the luggers and the aborigines would be to prohibit altogether the employment of aborigines on luggers. Reports of flagrant invasions of territorial waters by the Japanese, interference with lubras, and unauthorised landings ‘on the coast resulted in the dispatch of the Larrakia from Darwin early this month on the first jCruise to East Arnhem Land. The range of the small vessel is only 700 miles, and arrangements were made to have petrol supplies made available at the South Goulburn and Milingimbi mission stations, increasing the range to 1,000 miles. The Larrakia carries a machine gun and four service rifles. The vessel has a draught of 3ft 3in and a maximum speed of 20 knots. She carries a crew or five, comprising the master, engineer, seaman, wireless operator, and an aboriginal, and quarters are necessarily cramped and confined. The vessel was not designed for long-range work, with permanent quarters for the crew, and every inch of space is put to some practical use. The floor provides sleeping accommodation for at least one member of the crew, arid when one person moves in his sleep ho invariably awakens the other members of the crew. Sufficient water is carried for six days, and when the requirements of cooking have been satisfied little is available for bathing during a long cruise. LUGGERS ESCAPE. Shortly after Cape Don, on the western extremity of Arnhem Land, was passed by the Larrakia, the first of a series of aborigine signal fires was sighted, telling the next native camp of the arrival of the patrol boat. These fire signals preceded the Larrakia from one end of the mainland to the other, and Japanese luggers that had been anchored in territorial waters the day before the arrival of the Larrakia stood out to sea and disappeared before the powerboat arrived at their anchorage. Days before the Larrakia reached Cadell Strait the local aborigines had known of its coming. Large dumps of petrol and oil totalling more than 600 gallons were found at Wialla, on Goulburn Island, which is in the aborigine reserve, and other luggers bad removed stacks of bagged shell and petrol, tearing confiscation, as soon as they learned from the aborigines that the patrol was expected. All this shell and fuel had been landed by Darwin Japanese. The Japanese employed on Australian juggers fraternise freely on the pearling ground with their compatriots in

the crews of the 85 oversea Japanese that have been working the beds off the Australian coast during the season just completed. It is freely believed that many of these oversea divers tranship to the Australian luggers for a brief holiday when the local vessels run in to the mainland to replenish oil supplies. “ HOSTILE ” NATIVES. Pursued by the swarms of houseflies and myriads of. vicious mosquitoes and sandflies, the Larrakia sped from South Goulburn Island to the Liverpool River. The Admiralty chart of this section of the coastline states “ natives hostile here.” The crew of the Larrakia found the waiting group of rheumy-eye aborigines polite to an amusing degree, the “ king ” of the horde hailing the party with a courteous “ Good-day, sir.” On Entrance Island, at the mouth of the river, were found several tons of bagged shell, marked with Japanese characters and carefully concealed beneath a mass of foliage. Indications were that it was the dump of an oversea vessel. Once again, however, the luggers had left the previous day. A call was made at the Milingimbi mission station, and an aborigine pilot was taken aboard to assist in the negotiation of the numerous shoals and reefs, and the patrol continued the voyage to sheltered Mooroongga, Evidence was found of repeated intrusion by oversea Japanese. Three days before the Larrakia arrived several oversea luggers, accompanied by a mother ship, called in at the beach, and the natives still had in their possession the tobacco and foodstuffs given them. A week before the arrival of the Larrakia in Cadell Strait, which runs between Elcho Island and the mainland, Mr Donald Thomson, the wellknown anthropologist, who is now working among the natives at Cape Arnhem, encountered several Japanese luggers with their mother ship anchored off Howard Island. He sailed towards them, but they immediately stood out to sea. The Larrakia circumnavigated the inhospitable mangrove-fringed Elcho Island, and landings were made at several known anchorages along the mainland. Then an urgent radio message was received recalling the patrol to Darwin. In the meantime the Japanese fleet of luggers left the pearling ground for their headquarters at Pelau, where they will lie up for the monsoonal period, returning, again in March,