SHELL POACHING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22619, 6 January 1937, Page 7

SHELL POACHING

JAPANESE LUGGEKS NORTH AUSTRALIAN WATERS ARDUOUS TASK OF PATROL [from oub own correspondent] SYDXEY, Dec. 24 Many evidences of tho unauthorised operation of Japanese pearling luggers in Australian waters were found during a 1000-mile cruise completed recently by the patrol boat Larrakia. In many places it was apparent that the aborigines were doing their best to defeat the object of the patrol. A chain of native signal fires sent warnings along the coast, and the Japanese luggers vanished from their anchorages. The Larrakia, a 45ft. motor-boat, which was commissioned by the Federal Government several months ago, has an almost impossible task to perform in the supervision of 900 miles of coastline. In addition, tho Larrakia has to he ready for service as a "crash" boat for the air mail service across the Timor Sea. Fantastic Story From Bathurst Island to the Wessell group a fantastic story has been spread by aboriginal boys from the luggers. It is to the effect that the aborigines will receive large and frequent issues of tobacco and flour "when Australia belongs all same Japan." The need for more effective policing of the northern coastline was very obvious during the Larrakia's 900-mile trip to the new pearling grounds off Last Amhern Land. If a sincere effort is to be made to prevent Japanese from landing with nipunitv on the Australian coast, at least three speedy power-boats are essential. The institution of the patrol has made oversea Japanese pearlers extremely careful in their invasions of Australian territorial waters, and there have been fewer breaches of international law than there were last year, but there is no doubt that unauthorised landings are still frequent along tho northern coast. Reports of flagrant invasions of territorial waters by the Japanese and unauthorised landings on tine coast resulted in the despatch of the Larrakia from Darwin early this month on the first cruise to East Arnhem Land. The Larrakia carries a machine-gun and four service rifles. The vessel has a draught of 3ft. 3in., and a maximum speed of 20 knots. She curries a crew of five, comprising the master,. engineer, seaman, wireless operator, and an aboriginal, and quarters are necessarily cramped and confined. -The vessel was i not designed for long-range work, with I permanent quarters for the crew, and every inch of space is put to some practical use.

Signal Fires Lighted Shortly after Cape Don on the western extremity of Arnhem Land was passed by the Larrakia, the first of a series of aborigine signal fires was sighted, telling the next; native camp of the arrival of the patrol boat. These fire signals preceded the Larrakia from one end of the mainland to the other, and Japanese luggers that had been anchored in territorial waters the day before the arrival of the Larakia stood out to sea and disappeared before the power-boat arrived at their anchorage. Days before the Larrakia. reached Cadell ! Strait the local aborgines had known | of its coming.

Large clumps of petrol and oil, totalling more than 600 gallons, were found at Wialla, on Goulburn Island, which is in the oborigine reserve, and other luggers had removed stacks of bagged shell and petrol, fearing confiscation, as soon as they learned from the oborigines that the patrol was expected. All this shell and fuel landed by Darwin Japanese.

"Hostile" Natives The Japanese employed on Australian luggers fraternise freely on the pearling ground with their compatriots in the crews of the 85 oversea Japanese that have been working the beds off the Australian coast during the season just completed. It is freely believed that many of these oversea divers tranship to the Australian luggers for a brief holiday when the local vessels run in to the mainland .to replenish oil supplies. Pursued by the swarms of houseflies and myriads of vicious mosquitoes and sandflies, the Larrakia sped from South Goulburn Island to the Liverpool River. The Admiralty chart of this section of the coastline states "natives hostile here." The crew of the Larrakia fonnd tlie waiting group of aborigines polite to ail amusing degree, the "king" of the horde hailing' - the party with a courteous "Good-day, ;iir." On Entrance Island, at the mouth of the river, were found several tens of bagged shell, marked with Japanese characters and carefully concealed beneath a mass of foliage. Indications were that it was the dump of an oversea vessel. Once again, however, the luggers had left tho previous day.

A call was made ab the Milingimbi mission station, and an aborigine pilot was taken on board to assist in the negotiation of the numerous shoals and reefs, and the patrol continued the voyage to sheltered Mooroongga. Evidence was found of repeated intrusion by oversea Japanese. Three days before the Larrakia arrived, several oversea luggers, accompanied by a mother ship, called in at the beach, and the natives still had in their possession the tobacco and foodstuffs given them.

Scientist's Encounter A week before the arrival of the Larrakia in Cadell Strait, which runs between Elcho Island and the mainland, Mr. Donald Thomson, the wellknown anthropologist, who is now working among the natives at Cape Arnhem, encountered several Japanese luggers with their mother ship anchored off Howard Island. He sailed toward them, but they immediately stood out to sea. The Larrakia circumnavigated the inhospitable mangrove-fringed Elcho Island, and landings were made at several known anchorages along the mainland. Then an urgent radio message was received recalling the patrol to Darwin. In the meantime the Japanese fleet of luggers left the pearling ground for their headquarters at Pelau, where they will lie up for the nionsoonal period, returning again in March.