Swarming Sampans

The Danger of an “Incident”

SWARMS of Japanese sampans, along the coasts of the Dutch East Indies, Australian and Dutch New Guinea, and the north Australian coast —many of them engaged in poaching trocas shell—have had much attention in the newspapers during the month. For example; Japanese pearling boats in the Arafura Sea (northwards of North Australia), which last year won shell worth five million yen, are to be in creased from 36 to 70.

Dutch officials seized two Japanese pearlers suspected of poaching in Selee Strait, Dutch New Guinea. Tokio protested, and the boats subse quently were released.

Japanese poachers deliberately burned a British planter’s buildings on an island in the Manus district. New Guinea.

Many Japanese sampans have been reported In Torres Strait and along the North Australian coast.

It was reported on April 18 that Mr.

W. Turnbull, lessee of Hicks Island (near Thursday Island) had announced that if the Japanese poachers did not cease an noying the people residing in his part of Torres Straits, the residents would have recourse to firearms. He said Japanese sampans were using those islands for storing oil, and that the crews habitually were stealing foodstuffs.

Exasperated Islands residents should remember that, in an international sense, this is a matter of extreme delicacy. The relations between the former allies, Bri tain and Japan, are not very good at the present time. It was reported on April 17 that there had been recently in Japan a marked growth in anti-British feeling, and that Japanese Government institu tions, especially the army, are being dom inated to an increasing degree by those younger Japanese who insist that Japan’s future expansion lies southward and that their natural enemy is Britain.

A far-reaching revision of the Govern mental system in the Japanese mandated islands (Caroline and Marshall Islands) is now under way, and a Governor-Gen eral situated at Formosa is to have juris diction there. Those mandated islands (which are much closer to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands than is Bris bane, for instance) will in future form the southern boundary of an aggressive Japan.

The arrest of a shell-poaching sampan, or a charge of buckshot in the behind of a thieving Japanese, may seem perfectly logical things to the exasperated resi dents of the British Pacific Islands; but let it not be forgotten that such an “inci dent” could precipitate a terrible war.

If the present temper of powerful Japanese interests continues, war with Japan in the Pacific is inevitable. But nothing is to be gained by hastening that tragedy.

Sir Maynard Hedstrom, accompanied by Lady Hedstrom, left Auckland for Suva by the Monterey on April 5. Sir Maynard had been in New Zealand since January on a health visit, and recently made a trip to Tongariro National Park.

Mr. Henry Milliard, general manager of Ballande’s, Noumea, arrived in Sydney from New Caledonia by the Laperouse on April 4.

Rev. C. E. Fox, M.A., Litt.D., who has served for many years with the Melane sian Mission Society left for the Solomon Islands by the M.Y. Southern Cross on March 31. Dr. Fox is a noted authority on anthropology.