JAPANESE SAMPANS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 261, 2 October 1936, Page 12

JAPANESE SAMPANS

ACTIVITIES IN ISLANDS. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Oct. 1. The report of a Japanese sampan being taken in tow on tlie Fijian coast for examination at Suva was brought back to Auckland by officers of tlio sloop Wellington, which returned from its annual winter cruise to the islands to-night. The sampan however, cut the tow-rope and slipped off into the darkness. This is the second time within recent months that there have been reports of Japanese vessels off Fiji, the other occasion being when a district officer, accompanied by a small party off the Dunedin, chased a sampan in the Government ship Pioneer. According to Commander Hall, the second sampan, which may have been that which was previously pursued, went ashore at the mouth of the Labasa River on September 23. Suva was informed and the Pioneer left at once, but she was recalled before proceeding very far, and the chase was taken up by the trading schooner Helena with the district officer aboard.

The sampan was discovered and was towed off. Then she was taken in tow and the schooner started back for Suva, but during the night the Japanese cut the tow-ropes and escaped, nothing moro having been heard of her when tho Wellington left Tonga last Sunday for Auckland.

Anotlier report of Japanese sampans was brought back by the officers of the Leith, which arrived earlier in tho day, after completing her winter cruise, which included the islands in the south-western Pacific. At Noumea, they said, they had seen three captured sampans. They had been told that a seaplane had been sent off in pursuit of tho sampans, which were suspected of poaching trochus shell.

When the plane came up with the Japanese vessels engine trouble developed. and it was forced to land alongside the sampans. After the Japanese had refused to surrender, the Frenchmen asked for a tow back to Noumea on condition that the Japanese would bo allowed to go. This was agreed, to and tho seaplane was taken back, but on arrival at New Caledonia the sampans’ crews were arrested.