ENEMY MINES

Grey River Argus, 12 January 1944, Page 2

ENEMY MINES

LAID IN HAURAKI GULF BELATED REPORT (Rec. 7.30) NEW YORK, Jan. 10. The Berlin radio, quoting the paper “Voelkischer Beobachter” stated that a German raider mined the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, New Zealand, which' resulted in the destruction of ivaluable enemy (shipping space. The mines were successfully laid at night close to the shore, although at the time two English crusiers and an auxiliary cruiser .lay in Auckland harbour. No date is given for the mining of the gulf. If is officially stated here that the statement as to the presence of the warships is totally inaccurate, and that the incident referred to in the message is now years old. IN SOUTH ATLANTIC 8.0.W. RUGBY, Jan. 10. Naval authorities at Cape Town disclosed that German raiders laid two minefields off the South African coast—off Cape Agulhas in May, 1940, and the approaches to Table Bay in March, 1942, but the results were negligible. The mines, scattered over a wide area, were swept up oy South African minesweepers. During darkness on March 12, 1942, an enemy minelayer' actually dashed in within five miles of Cape Town where the captain of the vessel was able to read the electric signs in the centre of the city.