THE STRANDED WHALE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12991, 4 June 1904, Page 14

THE STRANDED WHALE.

At Thursday night's meeting of the Ocean Beach Domain Board the matter of the whale which was stranded on tho Ocean Beach on May 19 came up for-eonsideration. "The subject -was raised by the. secretary (Mr J. Jacobs) reading a notice from the Health Department, dated May 21, calling en the-Domain Board to remove the whale it once, as it was a danger to health. . On May 31 the department again wrote,.and enclosed';a notice for the removal of the wh'aleV to : be served on Mr Alexander, who had purchased it. .'/ftio/Chairman thereupon narrated the oiiciimstances conneotect with the whale incident;;-. He said that the whale was in.such a putrid condition that on the day following its being cast on the beaoh Dr Ogston declared its* public nuisance, and ordered its ■ immediate\ removal. A man named Harley applied for permission to erect a tent over the carcase for the purpose of showing it, but ho declined tho request onr the ground that it lay on a public place, and the publio had.a right to view it if they chose so long [ '. as it lay thero. Another man named Mackie j then claimed it on the ground that he had . first seen.it. As. it was necessary to act promptly in ■ getting the carcase removed, he consulted the board's solicitor' and the j Marine Department as to the ownership, j • the result;leaving no doubt whatever that] / the board was the owner, and responsible, in, ; the interests of : the health of the district, for its removal. . Ho then,had tho whalo sold by auction, and it beenmo tho property j of William Alexander. Another application i was then made for permission to erect a tent over it for showing purposes, and ho again declined, but granted permission, for bo erected during the operation of cutting up the carcase. The owners, however,' did show the whale, and charged for'admiaion, and did not act promptly in removing tho nuisance. When the board was served'with notice from tho Health Department tho secretary of the board served notice on William Alexander, who was the purchnser at the auction. He did not See that- tho board could take charge of. the whale forcibly, having sold it. The bulk of. the whale had-since- been removed, but portions of it had been thrown into the sea',' ar.d some of these had afterwards ' been again thrown up on the' beach. Tho 1 owners' had been called upon to diepose of • these, but a portion along by Taliuna Park '•■ still remained, and that would have to bo •■ removed. The board was responsible apparently to the. Health Department, .and it could dispose of the portion remaining, and charge tho cost to the owner. That waa the main object of disposing of the carcase .by auction.' The buyer purchased it on the condition, that he was to dispose ot it to the .satisfaction of the Health Officer. Mr Lawrence: What is the position.now? ■ The Chairman: There is one portion of the carcaso; near Tahuna Park, which should be'removed, and the ranger has either served or has attempted to servo .Dr .Ogston's notice oif'Mr Alexander to remove it. ,Mr Lawrence: What .will tho whole business cost tho Domain Board? Tho Chairman: The 'expense has been trifling, but as far as the board is concerned it''is not a material point. The- material point is that we disposed of tho carcase, and so got other people, to remove it. It'.would certainly have cost us many pounds to lomovo it. ' ' On tho motion of Mr Crust, it was resolved that-tho chairman's action in having the whale sold by auction bo approved.