"HOLIDAY AT THE ZOO."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

"HOLIDAY AT THE ZOO."

By MARIE CLAIRE BLOMFIELD, Cliff Rd., St. Heliers. (Ago 10).

The whole Zoo was in a state of riotous disorder.

Tho Zoo manager and keepers also noticed this and decided that the only cure for such ill-temperedness was a holiday, and so it was arranged to take tho creatures to Rangitoto, Had you been near tho wharf very early on Saturday morning you would have seen all tho animals ranged along tho wharf waiting for the ferry. At last along she camo, tho old Condor belching forth steam from her two funnels, tho water churning up at her bows and curving- off in two long waves behind her. As she was moored to the wharf and the gang way was lowered there were cries of satis faction from tho animals as they rushed aboard. There would not bo room for all the animals, so it was arranged that the water creatures should be towed behind by ropes, and the birds that could, should fly overhead.. At last they arrived and tho animals sprang ashore. Then tho conditions on which they were allowed to have the holiday were impressed upon them and they dispersed into the bush. The jungle-folk settled in the scrub and undergrowth, the mountain creatures made their way to the summit, the prairie creatures found patches of grass on which they were content to graze, and the birds circled overhead or hopped from bough to bough. As for the sea-creatures, their ropes were lengthened and they were allowed to swim about to their hearts' content.

Now, I will let you info a secret The keepers when they were arranging the holiday, had thought the food problem a very costly business and had at last agreed that it would be a wise plan to teach the animals not to be so discontented with being imprisoned in tho Zoo, and also to show them how well they were treatod at the "Zoo, so the keepers took no food for them.

Well, to continue with the story, at dinner-time the animals all came round for that meal. There were animals everywhere. Animals appeared from tho bush, monkeys dropped as if from nowhere among tho keepers, birds fell from the sky hippopotami, sea-lions and polarbears popped out of the water quite close to where they sat, in fact, every Zoo creature was led by instinct to the keepers for food. Therefore, you may imagine for yourself the dismay and disappointment of the creatures when they saw only several little packets of sandwiches from which their guardians were eating. Understanding an anxious frown directed at him from a fellow keeper, one young fellow turned in time to see a tiger crouched ready to spring on him from behind. At once the offending animal was captured and imprisoned on board the ferry under care of a grimy engineer, who held a heavy club, weighing enough to be capable Of stunning tho creature without harming him. On returning to shore, the men onco more impressed upon tho animals tho conditions and then continued their meal.

Tho poor, wronged creatures hung about on tho shore, and with heavy hearts and empty stomachs returned- to the Zoo, where (o their wild joy they found a hearty meal awaiting them. How they loved tho Zoo after that, for now they all knew the dangers and difficulties of being free around Auckland.