BATTLE WITH A SHARK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19234, 25 January 1926, Page 10

BATTLE WITH A SHARK.

EXCITEMENT AT MILFORD. capture from small dinghy. FISH SEIZED BY THE TAIL. An exciting shark hunt that presented some amusing features was witnessed bysome hundreds of bathers and picnickers at Milford Beach yesterday afternoon. After a battle lasting over half an hour the unwelcome visitor was roped after being stunned by a blow from an oar and was towed to the beach, where it was despatched with an axe. ihe shark, which measured Bft. 6in. in length, is believed by those who saw it to be a bluo pointer. There was a great crowd of bathers in the wate.-, and many more people were on the beach, when at about halfpast three the presence of the shark was reported. Bathers scampered for the shore, and all eyes were turned toward the sea, where a fin was to be seen moving along in the shallow water parallel with the shore. It was then abreast of Milford Road and heading toward Takapuna. A young man named Bowers, a member of the Milford Surf Club, secured a dinghy, and, pulling out beyond the shark, tried to head it inshore. The shark, however, held to its course, and the young man, standing up in the dinghy, attacked it with an oar. He delivered one tremendous blow and lost his balance, both oars going overboard. By this time the spectators ashore were worked up to a high pitch of excitement, and they feared '.he dinghy would capsize, leaving the occupant to the mercy of the shark. However, the fish was apparently stunned by the blow from the oar and did not come to the surface again for three or four minutes. Meanwhile Mr. Bnckworth, a member of the crew of the keel yacht Little Jim, pulled to the scene of the encounter in a dinghy and look Bowers' boat in tow. Finding that the shark would not be headed off Mr. BucKworth seized it by the tail and pulled it partly into his dinghy. This was not done without a struggle, but Mr. Buckworth managed to slip a noose over the tail. The shark was then towed ashore tail first despite its desperate struggles. The crowd ashoro had watched 'tho capture with the keenest interest, many giving directions which the participants could not hear, ■ while others expressed their feelings by yells and shrieks at tense moments. A weighty man in a fiat-bottomed .boat rowed by a boy set out to assist the men in the dinghies, but could not get near enough to use the large axe he was armed with. He had his chance, however, when the shark was stranaed on the beach, but his excitement was so great that wben he did swing the axe with mighty effort he missed the large target presented and buried the head of the axe in the sand, to the huge delight of the spectators.