COMMONWEALTH ITEMS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIII, Issue LXVIII, 22 October 1914, Page 7

COMMONWEALTH ITEMS.

THE CAPTURE OF THE KOMET.

IIED CROSS CONTRIBUTIONS.

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYEIGHT,

(Received Oct. 22. 12.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Oct. 22. Mr Holman severely criticised the ■discontents at Broken Hill for their '•__ action, in hanging round the tempor- '* "Airily suspended mines. He said this -was unworthy of the independent manliness of the Australian worker and '" -would find little sympathy from the - ' Government.

SYDNEY, Oct. 22.

From further news of the capture of "the German gunboat Komet, it appears that the vessel cleared from Rabaul upon' the approach of the Australian ■forces. After the seizure of the wireless station messages were constantly •tapped, indicating that the Komet was -despatching news to the German squad--lon concerning the occupation. Eventually news of her hiding place was glean--ed. and an armed force under Lieutenant Jackson, accompanied by Colonel Paton, with a detachment-of infantry,, -and led by a native guide, proceeded to the North Coast of New Guinea, where they discovered the Komet warped into ■the bank of a river and completely covered with greenery. The Germans -.were ■greatly surprised when the party sprang aboard and seized the boat. 'They found a powerful wireless installed •capable of transmitting long distance messages.

MELBOURNE, Oct. 22

The. Council of the Australian branch of the, Red Cross Society has decided to •cable £12,000 to London for hospitals proceeding to the front.