Another Ship Stolen

W. Samoa Local Youths’ Misplaced Spi? of Adventure

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Apia Jan 1

Western Samoa, Which ]

been cursed by adventur; amateur pirates in reci years, is currently undergo: another ship-stealing incident.

Morris Hedstrom’s 18-ton mot boat Amy was stolen at Vaiss Savai’i, on January 6, was last s< heading out to sea and, at t date, has not been found.

The pirates, this time, appear be three brothers, Felisi, Sonny a Sone Crichton. Two of them ; members of Amy’s crew, the th lives near Vaisala. Amy was Vaisala on January 6, waiting load copra for Apia. The capta George Huch, the engineer a other members of the crew had gc ashore to church, leaving only 1 watchman on board. The th brothers came aboard, told 1 watchman he need not stay a: when he was safely ashore, star up and headed out to sea.

Pursuit could not be organised 24 hours when Captain Williams 1 Apia in another MH vessel with police representative.

Planes and other ships kept look-out for Amy—it was belies that she headed north-west Rotuma or Wallis Island.

She had fuel for 60 hours, a gc supply of food and some cargo Savai’i trading stations. £ recently has been reconditioned a is valued at £B,OOO.

Amy Found

Jan. 21 THE Amy has arrived at Rotur 220 miles north of Fiji and ■ miles from Samoa. The three £ venturers were promptly arres and will be taken back to Apia Court proceedings. (Editorial Note: If other Paci islanders were afflicted with t same thirst for adventure on 1 high seas as are the Westc Samoans, owners of small sh would have a pretty thin time, is hard to understand what thi young hoodlums think they achic —it is about a century too late ; piracy and even the most rem< island now has radio and under the watchful eye of soi official. There have been thi conspicuous boat stealing cases Western Samoa in the last fi years: A. G. Smvth’s little ves; Wyben, which was piled up in t Solomons about 1947; O. F. Nelsoi Gaumatau, which was finally fou: in Eastern Samoa about Februa;

150; and now the Amy. Ringleader i the first two escapades was the If-styled “Dynamite Mac Mago” ho was in trouble again for ga9l ■eaking in June, 1951. Authority , Western Samoa seems unable to irb this local lust for high ad •nture but severer pufiishment for ie culprits when caught—as they evitably are—would probably have beneficial effect.) Mr. J. R. Halligan and Professor . O. Shatwell, Australia’s senior id junior Commissioners on the mth Pacific Commission, visited ipua-New Guinea centres in the ,rly part of February, and in ected various institutions and calities likely to be of interest, om the SPC viewpoint. Mr. Halli n flies to New York, late this onth, to attend a meeting of the •usteeship Council of the United itions. The next meeting of the 5 C will be held in Noumea in jril.

The Rev. F. Harlan Delbridge, of e Methodist Church, Fiji, who has cently been discharged from Ep >rth Hospital, Vic., is now holiday g in the Dandenongs.

Prizes of £5O each will be offered r two new Health Stamps which e Fiji Government will issue next ar. The current Health Stamps me into use for the first time last iptember.