MAULED BY LION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 14 June 1945, Page 4

MAULED BY LION

REPORTED INCIDENT AT AUCKLAND ZOO NAVAL RATING’S STORY Auckland, June 12. Claiming that he had been mauled by a lion at the Auckland zoo, where he said he had gone* to tame the lions, a young Newt Zealand naval rating was treated at the casualty department of the Auckland Hospital early this morning. His clothing was torn, and he was suffering from wounds to one leg. The injuries were not serious. No dir ( ect confirmation of the patient’s story is available, but according to medical opinion the wounds he suffered were consistent with his having been mauled by a lion or similar animal. A thorough search of the grounds at the zoo revealed no trace of the incident, and zoo officials claimed that it would be impossible for anyone to have been mauled and then to have left the grounds without the night watchman having been disturbed. However, it is understood that the victim hired a taxi near the zoo at an early hour and was then suffering from injuries. The man is believed to have called at the mental hospital at Avondale about 1 a.m. and to have asked to be admitted. When he was refused admission he left, but returned later with his clothing torn and one le*g badly scratched. He then said he had been to the zoo and tried to tame the lions in the den. The lion was afraid of him, but the lioness had attacked him. After he had been treated at the Auckland Hospital the victim returned to a mental institution. — P.A.