NAURU SHELLED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23850, 28 December 1940, Page 6

NAURU SHELLED

ENEMY RAIDER HEAVY GUNFIRE BUILDINGS DAMAGED NO CASUALTIES CAUSED Uy Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received December 2 s , 12.15 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Dec. 21 The Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Mcnzies, announced to-night that an enemy raider heavdy shelled Nauru Island shortly after daybreak to-day. Buildings and plant were severely damaged hut there were 110 casualties. The raider attacked under a Japanese name and Japanese colours. Mr. Menzies added: "Nauru is entirely undefended against such attack, and must be so under the terms of the League of Nations mandate by which it is administered. This lact is well-known to the enemy, and in itself removes anv justification whatsoever for his action. "The crime is aggravated hy the fact that ho used neutral colours —-those of a country with which we are at peace." This is not the first visit paid hv an enemy raider or raiders to Nauru Island. It was announced last week hy the Australian Minister for the Navy, Mr. W. M. Hughes, that a raider operating off Nauru and Ocean Island.' on December 8 must lie presumed to have destroyed or captured five of the seven vessels in the vicinity. "So far. lie said, "there is 110 indication as to the fate of the crews and the missing ships, and the few passengers which were on board. There are good grounds for belief that they may have been made prisoners." Apparently, he said, tho raider was operating with an attendant vessel. Peculiar Formation

Mr. Hughes said that, owing to the peculiar formation of Nauru and the lack of harbourage, ships were unable to load in heavy westerly weather. A continuance of such weather over a period results in an accumulation of ships lying off the island, drifting in order to conserve fuel. These conditions obtained on December 8, when five ships were drifting in the offing waiting for the weather to moderate. Some oi them had drifted beyond sight of the island. The visibility was poor at the time. Thus only one of the vessels known to be drifting in the vicinity of the island was visible from the shore at daybreak on December S. "She was seen to be on fire," continued Mr. Hughes, "and two other strange vessels, one»of about 3000 and the other of about COOO tons, were apparently standing by her. At the time it did not appear from the shore that the strange vessels were hostile, and no distress messages were heard from any of the ships known to be in the area. Vessel Seen on Fire "Visibility then became worse, and the three ships wore obscured from view. For some time, no shipping at all was seen from tho island. It was afternoon before the weather cleared sufficiently for renewed observation from the shore. A vessel was then seen to be on fire some miles south of the island, and the larger of the two strange vessels was lying a mile or so from her, and apparently shelling her. Shortly afterwards the burning vessel disappeared. The other then made off at high speed. "Arrangements have been irr<de tc safeguard the important phosphate trade," Mr. Hughes said. "Obviously it is not in the public interest to disclose the nature of those arrangements. It can be stated that they are such as, in view of the circumstances, will afford the best possiblo protection."