THE ATTACK ON NAURU
THOUGH the mandated island of Nauru cannot, under the terms of the mandate, be fortified, it is disturbing to think that an enemy raider can stand close inshore and shell the phosphate plant without being molested. It is not much use at this stage appealing to League of Nations’ rules and saying that the Germans should not have done it. Nauru is a first-class military objective and one that should have been closely guarded from the sea if nothing could be done from the land. The naval authorities had ample evidence that this was a danger spot because only on Bth December were ships sheltering from a gale off Nauru attacked by hostile forces- It is presumed that five of them were sunk. The Australian Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) has said that the Navy is doing everything possible to destroy the enemy ship, and it has been announced that ninety per cent, of the Australian fleet is in home waters.
The Germans have used the despicable device of raiding under false colours. They are evidently determined that, if Germany cannot have Nauru back, it shall be destroyed. What the extent of the damage inflicted is has not yet been made clear, but it appears great enough to put the phosphate industry out of action for some time to come. This may have a serious effect on New Zealand and Australia, who lean so heavily on fertiliser for their soil production, but fortunately the foresight of the Commission has resulted in reserve stocks of rock phosphate having been built up in New Zealand. Sir Albert Ellis, New Zealand member of the Commission, is hopeful about the chances of restoration and tells farmers there is no need for alarm.
But the Nauru attack is not likely to be the end of enemy activity in the Pacific. There are unconfirmed reports to-day of a dozen raiders arming in Japanese ports and it may be that Pacific raiding is going to play a part in the wider Hitlerian plan of “squeezing” the United States while he makes the play in Europe.
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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 30 December 1940, Page 4
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351THE ATTACK ON NAURU Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 30 December 1940, Page 4
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