Raid In New Guinea.

Foreign Poachers Defy Villagers and Carry off Protected Shell,

The following remarkable letter has just reached the editor from Mr. C.

Falkiner, of Tearouki Plantation, Tiop, Bougainville, New Guinea.

It is suggested that there is more in the voyages of mysterious Japanese visi tors than “an adventure with a scientific basis,” as was stated by the captain of the “Dai Koku Maru” which was ar rested at Thursday Island.

Mr. Falkiner’s letter reads: “The ‘mysterious craft’ (your Febru ary number), must have a fairly vast range.

“A launch, evidently the same, ap peared off Tiop Island, Bougainville, in the early hours on March 4.

“Our Administration has, wisely, re served for the exclusive use of the na tives, certain areas of reef adjacent to their villages. Tiop Island, with a large village, has an extensive reserve, which the natives concerned had refrained from fishing in order to accumulate sufficient shell to obtain their tax monies.

“The strange launch dropped ten boats, each manned by Japanese, and com menced fishing.

“Several canoes, manned by the chief and elders from the village, went out to order the intruders off and were ignored, “Four to five hours’ work was suf ficient to skin the reef and, hoisting the boats, the visitor put out to sea, leaving a lot of enraged and loudly but ineffec tively protesting natives.

“As a potential purchaser had the trochus not been stolen, I beg to add my protest, in the hope that Sir George Pearce’s proposed action be extended.

“A very fast vessel will be necessary, judging by the speed exhibited by the poachers.”