[?]Stralian Meets Jap In

[?]East Papuan Waters

Prorr Our Own Correspondent P. MORESBY, March 20.

COASTAL trawler, the Elsie B, which operates out of Port

Moresby and around the Papuan coast, encountered a 300-tons Jap anese ship about 3 miles from Wood lark Island, early in February.

The master of the trawler, Cap tain James Carleton, said that when the Jap vessel sighted him it immediately altered course. When the Elsie B did the same, the 300tonner steered directly at the trawler.

Captain Carleton immediately sent out a radio message, giving his position and the fact that a Jap anese vessel had been sighted.

The Jap ship stopped, and the crew put on a show to indicate that they were fishing. But it was obvious that it was a staged effort, for the crew brought up dead king fish on tuna fishing poles. The Australians said the “catch” had been hastily pulled out of the Jap’s refrigerator and put on the lines.

The 300-tonner had its name in Oriental characters on the stern and bow, but there was a sign in Eng lish on the bridge painted “Fish ing Vessel.”

The Japanese crew waved and called as the trawler passed.

Other reports around the Terri tory during the past few months

indicate that quite a number of Japanese vessels are operating in the seas around Papua and New Guinea. They are within their legal rights, so long as they do not operate within territorial waters,