Sampans Taken

French Seize Poachers in N. Caledonia

THE French authorities are dealing smartly and sternly with the Japan ese sampans which are poaching trochus shell, etc., in the coastal waters of New Caledonia.

A resident of Tao, Mr. Henwood, on March 23, signalled the gendarmes at Hienghene that a sampan was at work on the reef.

Two gendarmes from Hienghene met two gendarmes from Ouegoa and Pouebo and, lying down in a fast motor-launch manned by natives, they crept along the coast. They approached the sampan sud denly and, when the four startled Japan ese aboard tried to get away, they headed them off and displayed their arms, and the poachers surrendered. The sampan, with the four men and a quantity of shell, was taken to Hienghene. The gen darmes then set out to arrest the sam pan’s fishing-boats, and the 12 Japanese who manned them also surrendered, and were taken to port.

The French now have captured four sampans and 90 Japanese, in New Cale donian waters. They are; Gyokatsu Maru , taken at Yate on July 7, 1936, by the ketch Caledonicn.

Kinsko Maru, taken at Ponerihouen on July 17, 1936, by the gendarmes.

Taifa Maru, taken near Toupetit rec ently.

Kongo Maru, taken near Tao on March 23 by the gendarmes.

The two first-named sampans and their contents have been formally confiscated.

The captain of the Kongo Maru (which is a vessel of 32 tons) said that he left the Caroline Islands on February 16, and had fished in the Santa Cruz group (Solo mons) and he then was going to Fiji, but had been driven on to New Caledonia by bad weather.