STEER LOOSE IN CITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25566, 20 June 1944, Page 4

STEER LOOSE IN CITY

CHAIN OF EXCITING EVENTS SHOT IN SMALL BACK YARD (P.A.) WELLINGTON. June 18. A chain of exciting events, which began with an Jmpromptu rodeo in Willis street yesterday morning, ended this afternoon with the shooting of an infuriated steer in a tiny Newtown back yard. The carcass had to be cut up for removal. Forty-four Polled Angus steers which had been bred at the Happy Valley Station and had never been on the road before were being driven to the Wellington railway yards yesterday. When the mob. which had beep giving trouble earlier in the journey, reached the intersection of Willis street and Vivian street they broke back in the direction from which they had come. Strung out over about 400 yards, they stampeded at full speed up the street, and the drovers were able to' stop them and round them up only after they had got into Brooklyn road. Two of the steers were not rounded up, but one was found at Happy Valley Station when the men returned home after finishing their task to-day. Where the other steer spent Sunday afternoon and Sunday night is not known. About 7 a.m. to-day it appeared in Hanson street, and, apparently frightened by the traffic, jumped over the' fence of a house, ran down a passage between two houses into a back yard, and jumped over another fence and hedge into the back yard of the home of Mr G. Dhnn. Though in a highly nervous state, it remained in the 20ft by 20ft yard. Mr Dunn endeavoured to prevent anybody from exciting the beast further, though few of the spectators had any desire to go near it. In the meantime, the help of the police was sought. About mid-day Mr W. F. Dorman, of Happy Valley Station,. arrived, and, finding the beast in an uncontrollable condition, he. shot it.- The carcass was skinned in the yard, cut up, and carted back to the station.