Solomons

Japanese Around N.

Fishing Fleets Contact Natives

From a Special Correspondent

Sohano, Oct. 2.

THERE have been a number of Japanese fishing fleets about these parts for some time — apparently fishing with marvel lously long lines and plenty of green glass floats. Many floats are being washed up on the beaches round about.

Natives have come to me re cently with tales of very bright (and large) lights at sea, which move erratically or stay hours in one place. There seem to be mother ships attending on the smaller vessels. As you know, a Jap trawler was on the reef near Kieta, and taken possession of by the Ad ministration.

Recently, a local ship went out to the Tasmans, skippered by Bert Wickham, who is well known in TNG. He reported to the District Commissioner at Sohano that there was a Jap ship fishing adjacent to the group and that, about three weeks prior to his arrival, Japs from some ship had landed on one of the Tasman Islands and had burned a store or shed. A patrol went out

from Sohano to investigate, and a report was made. At about that time a Jap ship, estimated to be about 5,000 tons, was sighted be tween Mortlock Group and Tas mans; but there was no communic tion with her, seemingly.

Now all this means—to the natives —that the Japs are back again.

What construction they put on these things one cannot say—but nothing to our credit, I guess. The Japs—as you’ll know—landed a while back on Cartarets and on Buka (northern side) and held converse with the natives. Some Buka natives—l am told—said that some of the Japs claimed that they were part of the previous garrison in Buka.

These outlying, unvisited islands are a danger, and these things emphasise it. No one would have known about the Tasman visita tion but for Wickham—on a shell ing and trading jaunt—visiting Tasmans and sending a radio.

Patrols nevah—well, hardly evah! —go out that way to see what is doing. Wouldn’t you think that the Navy would show the flag around about more frequently, and improve morale, etc., among the coons?

Another thing is‘ that Bougain ville is so close to the Solomons, and the natives get all the news— by Mission boats, etc. Our people (Europeans) feel that it all affects the discipline, etc., of the area; but the Administration (as usual) couldn’t care less—we are far away

from Moresby and H.Qrs. 1 'V EDITORIAL NOTE—There is no need for panicky headlines in the Australian newspapers Japanese fishing fleets are quite legitimately

pursuing their avocations in and around the Solomons (the north western islands of which are part of the New Guinea Administration).

We reported three months ago that Japanese fishing fleets, using a new and scientific technique, were get ting astonishing catches of good fish in these waters; and we sug gested that the British or Australian Governments should pay the Japs to show us how to make use of the hitherto unexploited wealth of our tropical seas.

The disturbing statement is that these wandering ex-enemies of ours are making contact with the natives.

It is impossible to prevent such meetings; but the Administration surely could keep closer supervision over them, and prevent any sinister development. It would be easy to create among these primitive people a belief that the Asiatics, in spite of Western suzerainty, are coming back.