SEA ELEPHANTS

Southland Times, Issue 17786, 15 July 1916, Page 5

SEA ELEPHANTS

CAPTIVES RELEASED. A paragraph appeared recently in the Southland Times, chronicling the reappearance for the first time on the mainland of sea elephants. Prior to the last trip of the Rachel Cohen, Mr Jack Norton, who was a fairly frequent frequenter of the islands, was commissioned by a well-known Invercargill merchant to capture and entice to the mainland a male and a female sea elephant. On no previous occasion has a sea elephant been landed on the shores of New Zealand, and an opportunity is being provided by the Patriotic Committee to sightseers to view these strange animals. The animals,, which are not “fish, flesh, or good red herrings,” have been liberated in the baths adjoining the Jetty, at the extreme east of Tweed street and there they are disporting themselves to the best of their limited swimming, plunging and otherwise sea water abilities. A Southland Times reporter, who witnessed their liberation yesterday, was greatly impressed with the antics of the brutes. They hum’d and haw’d and snarled and snapped to such an extent that a closer acquaintance was derided. As is notified by advertisement, at the Corporation baths to-day these peculiar animals may be seen, and the small price of admission that is being charged is going to swell the patriotic funds. It is understood that the Hibernian Band is being engaged to play opposite the baths, and, altogether, it is expected that as the result of Mr Jack Norton’s efforts the sea elephants will produce a very large monetary result for the dominion’s gifts scheme.