SCHOOL OF SHARKS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 December 1925, Page 3

SCHOOL OF SHARKS

IN AUCKLAND HARBOUR. AUCKLAND, December 13. It now seems fairly evident that a considerable number of the dangerous grey nurse sharks, the terror of the Australian bather, have leit the Australian coast on an excursion, making their home in the waters ol A\ aitomata Harbour. During the past few weeks many have been seen, while several between six and eight ieet in length have been caught.

Ale C. Larsen, who acts as hulk keeper for the Northern C ornpany, while fishing for schnapper off the hulk near Northcotte, hooked a grey nurse shark over Bft ill length, and after half mi hour’s strenuous tight lie hauled it on hoard.

Another grey nurse mis fraught recently hv a hoy of 15, who set out from. Milford Hen eh, Tnkapunn, in an eightfoot canvas canoe in quest of sclmapper. AVlien about eight chains oft shore he observed a grey nurse shark, find immediately cast liis schnapper line baited with beef. The shark took the bait and the youthful angler was compelled to anchor his frail craft to prevent it being towed away by the shark, ffe played his catch for fortvfivo minutes before he could get it ashore.

That bathers have nothing to fear from the sharks that are known to be in the harbour in unusual numbers this season is asserted by Mr M.. Garnett, who has been actively engaged in the fishing business about' Auckland for the past thirty-six years. The grey nurse sharks, he said, were always plentiful in the harbour between November and March, and on numerous occasions he had caught as many as twenty or thirty in one day. The sharks frequently followed shoals of mullet, and would enter very shallow water. Fortunately, however, sharks which were so plentiful were very cowardly, and would seldom show fight. A prod with an oar would suffice to frighten them away from a boat. “At the present time residents of Go vonport are all frightened to go for a swim, but it is all nonsense.'’ ho concluded.