NO DANGER FROM SHARKS AT SUMNER

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19269, 5 January 1931, Page 14

NO DANGER FROM SHARKS AT SUMNER

life-saving officials RIDICULE STORY TOLD

The statement that a shark had been seen by a bather on Friday was ridiculed by the officials of the Sumner Life Saving Club and a member of the Volunteer Lifeboat crew.

Speaking to a representative of the " Star.” ' the captain and the instructor of the Sumner Life Saving Club, Messrs J. Sutherland and N. G. Winter, both stated that the club had carefully inquired into the matter. One of their members, Mr J. Framley, was cut with the swimmer who reported the incident, and he is certain it was a porpoise. There is no record of any shark being seen, and certainly none of a bather being injured by an attack. Mr Framley’s words were: “It is quite ridiculous. The fish came very close and was at one time alongside me. It was easily recognised as a porpoise.” Porpoises Among Bathers.

The instructor stated that porpoises have been very numerous this year, frequently swimming in almost a friendly way amongst the bathers. Recently when the catamaran with its crew went over the bar it passed through a school of them, so that a paddle might almost strike one of them. ‘‘The club has cleared the whole matter up,” he said, ‘‘it was nothing like a shark.”

The member of the lifeboat crew stated that porpoises were met almost every time the boat went out. At one time about twenty of them followed Rescue II right to the entrance of the boat harbour, and then made off to sea. On one occasion they met an odd one or two on the estuary side of the bar. Quite frequently as many as six were seen at a time. The crew had never met anything in the nature of a man eating shark and could not think there was any danger from sharks.