RAIDER IN THE TASMAN

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21200, 24 August 1940, Page 6

RAIDER IN THE TASMAN

News that an enemy raider is operating in the Tasman Sea is a stem reminder that New Zealand must be constantly ready to deal with such emergencies. The censorship has confined public information to the bare fact that the raider was attacking the steamer Turakina and that New Zealand naval and air force units were taking all possible steps to locate and deal with the enemy. Rumours are spread at such a time, but it is unwise to accept any unauthenticated story as truth. It is better calmly to await official notification of the result of the search which is proceeding. What the fate of the Turakina may be is not known. There is reason for gratitude, however, that the raider has made its presence known so that measures to deal with the position may be taken. The success of such raids depends upon close secrecy, and that is why the enemy vessel has so carefully avoided publicity. If she is the ship that recently laid mines off the New Zealand coast she has been in the South Pacific for some time. Probably lack of supplies caused her to take the risk of making her presence known by seeking to capture a prize. It was fortunate that the Turakina seized the opportunity to use her radio to flash the news of the attack to New Zealand. The identity of the raider will become a matter of widespread interest, but it may not, of course, be revealed for some time. It will be recalled that a raider was reported to be operating in the South Atlantic some weeks ago and that two merchant ships fell victims. No further news of raiding in that area has been heard, and it is possible that the ship has transferred her attentions to the South Pacific. Whatever she may be, the raider is apparently extremely cautious, but she is not likely long to escape the fate that has befallen others of her kind. In the last war a few raiders seemed to have charmed lives, but since then the methods of scouting at sea by the use of aeroplanes have advanced considerably. New Zealand can rest assured that everything possible is being done to track the raider down. In the meantime it should be remembered that rumours are harmful.