Raben], Mees, Rabaul, July 25, 1958 WE WALKED BEHIND BARRIGRS TO A RADIO@ACTIVE VESSEL (Rabaul Times Special writer) Accompanying an official party of two senior Administration officers, two doctors and twe police officers, I went behind barricades at the 7abaul main wharf on Saturday and boarded a radio-active Japanese ship. Before I could go with the party I had to give an wmdertaking to harbour and medical officers that I was going on board at my own risk because when we walked uo the gangplank we did not know the level of radiation contamination. The ship is Talmjo Meru, Her Master, Captain Syucicki Mateubera, was a Japanese Air Porce officer stationed at Rabaul during the Pacific War, Matsubara brought his ship inte Rabaul on Saturday claiming that six days earlier winds had blown a radio-active cloud 600 miles from teats at cniwetok Atoll and contaminated ths ship. Takajo Maru is a beautifully-fitted survey vessel engaged in cartographic research in the general area of the Caroline Islands, She arrived with another and bigger ship, Sateuma Maru, wiich is carrying out similar work in the seme area but which escaped radiation contamination, The two ships, long end white, tied up together early in the morning taking up nore than the full length of the sain wharf, A small crow gathered outside barriers which native police constables patrolled near the two main entrances, Just inside the barriers a group of Japanese technicians and officers fron the ships eet up electronics equipment and talked with a party of six Fabaul officials, Leading the party was the senior Administration officer in New Britain, Mr. J, R, Poldi, Dietrict Comiseioner, With him was the Regional Medical Officer for New Owinea Islands, Dr. Charles Hassler, LANGUAGE Languages problems were obviously a difficulty, but English was used slovly on both sides. Hands waved and heads nodded. A Japenese of medium build with a nep of black hair going grey nodded and smiled, "This is a repert we sake," be said, Me wee Captain Syuirich’i Nateubara, master of Takujo Maru. He wes mach older than moet of the ether Japanese, slightly stoeped, heavily lined in the face. cenpleted setting up their equipment which was used te giv a veskground radiation count for Nebanl. They planned te repeat the tects on the ship te demenstrate that the cout there we higher thm ashore. BEST AVAILA BLE COPy