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JAP RAID PROBE
BY CANBERRA
Tokyo may get
strong protest
Herald Special Representative .
CANBERRA, Fri. — Alleged raiding by a
Japanese- sampaii's crew on Australian terri
tory is being investigated by three Common
wealth departments. :
If their inquiries do establish that the Japanesej>illaged
an Australian settler's plantation in a lonely island north
of Manus, the Australian Government will make a strong
.protest to the authorities in Japan.
The Navy and the Air Force are
likely . also to get a general order to
deal drastically with any vessel found
repeating such an offence. "
. The investigation is being made by
thq External Affairs Department, the
Department, of Territories, and the
Navy.
The planter, Mr Gus Kuster, hat reported
that three -weeks .ago the Japanese sampan
sailed into the Iqgoon near his plantation in
the Ninigo group, 200 miles north-west of
Maiius.
They presented him
witlr :an alleged trading
permit authorising them
to trade as far south as
the equator; -,. i ,
; They claimed It' was
. signed : -by:;' an America n :
major-general in Okin- '
a>va, ;
' - Later- the Japanese stole
the . planter. copra and
.''.trochus; shell stocks > and
.:saUed'-'aiivay;iv ,
";Wheh;MrustcrfffiaiIy
got a: message through : to
the Maftus authorities, a
naval craft Was sent out-
but '."could;.,; 'not: .find .the
, sampan. "v : ' ;
RSd nrahlaitt
The reported episodun-.
dei'lines the fact that when
the Japanese' peace treaty
is signed the Australian
administration seems cer
tain to> be confronted again
with the- problem of Jap
anese (fishing - vessels near
Australia ('territory. . v
This rwas ; a chronic
problem' 'for ;20 years, 'be
fore the war.
,Tie pre-war 'Japanese
fishermen landed at will in
Australian territory for
fuel and": , water'.1:. They
poached Australian (fishing
beds....- ...
Espionage
The war confirmed sus
picions that the Japanese
pre-war : "flshipg ; expedi
tions were often sponsored
by the Japanese Navy for
survey purposes and spy
ing. .
A' strong feelinR exists' in
Canberra that to. prevent
a recurrence o this trouble,
much stronger ! patrols,
much stronger patrols,
much readier to use arms,
will have to be provided.
Long-range air- patrols
could be, maintained. ... ;
Fifty Papuan and' New
Guinea natives are to be
enlisted by the Navy for
its new native division
in the islands (story,
Page 3.)..
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