Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

ISLAND OF EMIRAU

WHERE RAIDER LANDED PRISONERS ONLY ONE EUROPEAN INHABITANT CHRISTCHURCH, Ist January. A description of the small island of Emirau or Emirea in the Bismarck Archipelago, upon which 500 persons were landed by an enemy commerce raider on 21st December, was given by Mr L. G Maxwell, of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission, who until 18 months ago was in command of a mission schooner in the group. Emirau, said Mr Maxwell, was a small coral atoll on the north-eastern fringe of the archipelago, which formed oart of the Australian Mandated Territory of New Guinea. It lay between the north-western extremity of New Ireland and the comparatively large island of Mussau, which was about 20 miles distant. Flat, and measuring about five miles by three. Emirau had a fringing reef, but there was a good landing-place for boats on a short length of sandy beach, protected by a little island near the northern end.

Normally there was only one white inhabitant, the manager of a small plantation operated by the Australian tl ': m . °f W- R. Carpenter and Company, Limited. The natives, who lived in one village, numbered about 200, and there were a few Chinese on the plantation. Communication with the outer world, except when a vessel called, was by way of Mussau, on the nearer coast of which were the resident missionary, Castor A Atkins, and his wife, with another European, who managed a small sawmill mission.

The station was on a high cliff and it a steamer anchored off Emirau in daylight Pastor Atkins could hardly fail to observe it. In that case he would very probably send across or go himself in order to find out what was happening. If no one came from Mussau the natives from Emirau undoubtedly would go thither in canoes to carry news of the refugees’ arrival. Crossing the channel was an ordinary matter to them, and they made the trip in all w athers.

It was equally certain that Pastor Atkins would carry the information as soon as possible by launch to Kavieng, the principal settlement on New Ireland. where there was a wireless station. Kavieng was about 80 miles from Emirau, and could ordinarily be reached in a day by the Mussau mission la mch, a 35ft craft, with a 16 horsepower Diesel engine. Regarding the plight of the refugees. Mr Maxwell said that unless the raider le f t them some provisions they would have to live on native food till help arrived. Accommodation would be difficult to provide, because the plantation buildings consisted only of a small

house designed for the bachelor man- J ager and a small copra shed. However, it was most likely that the j mission “boys” would clear out the fur- 1 nishings of the church, which was a, fairly large building, and convert it into |. a dormitory. He was quite sure that j Mrs Atkins, who was a qualified nurse, | with a fine record of service to the j natives, would be able to do effective work in caring for the refugees. If the weather was good, news of their landing should have reached Rabaul, the administrative centre, two or three days after the event. Mr Maxwell remarked that Emirau was only about a day’s steam from the Japanese Caroline Islands, from which sampans and other craft, which had broken from their moorings in bad weather, often drifted down to the Bismarck Archipelago.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19410102.2.50.4

Bibliographic details

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 2 January 1941, Page 5

Word Count
573

ISLAND OF EMIRAU Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 2 January 1941, Page 5

ISLAND OF EMIRAU Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 2 January 1941, Page 5

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert