Shark caught with hooked stick
Sharks appear to be fairly plentiful in the harbour at the present time, the continued warm weather, no doubt, accounting for their presence in shallow waters. Four small boys who were paddling in a shallow stretch of water near the boat harbour yesterday morning had their attention drawn to two grey sharks. Armed with a long gaff, the smallest boy, after about an hour’s chase succeeded in driving the point of the implement into the body of the larger of the two. The other boys quickly set to work with clubs and stones, and after a long struggle they hauled the fish ashore. The boys were greatly excited, and they carried the shark to the Otago Daily Times office for the purpose of "running the tape over him". This was done, when it was found that it measured over three feet in length. The boys who made the catch were Leslie Geeson, Charles Buxton, Cyril Gaffney and H. Gaffney.
Ship-jumpers rounded up
The overseas steamer Ruapehu got away from Port Chalmers yesterday morning to complete her loading at northern ports. Before she sailed four of her firemen — John Gallagher, Robert Bennett, James Moran and John Butler — were brought before Messrs D.A. De Maus and N. Dodds, JPs, and convicted on a charge of leaving the vessel without permission the previous day, and thereby delaying her departure overnight. The defendants, who had been arrested on warrant at midnight by Sergeant Turner and Constables Oswald and Edwards, were ordered to forfeit two days’ pay and also to pay court costs amounting to 7 shillings each. The court ordered the delinquents to be placed on board the steamer before she sailed, and they were on board when she left.
Expo has no enemies
The question of allowing the display of German goods at the Exhibition to be opened in Dunedin in November next was discussed by the directors of the Exhibition Company in committee last night. After the subject had been gone into thoroughly the following motion was carried: "That in view of popular sentiment in the dominion this board decides to refuse any applications for space from nationals of ex-enemy countries."
No moose but plenty of sandflies
Mr C.J. Evans, head ranger to the Southland Acclimatisation Society, who, in company with Mr Herbert Beer of Mossburn, has been visiting the West Coast Sounds in order to make a report to the society regarding the moose, says he is somewhat disappointed in the result of the trip. No moose were seen, and such traces as were found were old and could not be definitely said to be the traces of moose at all, and might possibly have been deer traces. Messrs Evans and Beer spent several days exploring the country between Chalky Sound and Dusky Sound and in the time found five lakes which are unmarked on the maps. "The native birds," says Mr Evans, "are as plentiful as they used to be years ago, and have increased remarkably since I was last in the Sounds. The sandflies have also increased to a most remarkable extent, and it was impossible to sleep after 4 o’clock in the morning." — ODT, 16.1.1925
Compiled by Peter Dowden
