THE DOG THAT WENT TO THE POLE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1404, 2 April 1912, Page 3

THE DOG THAT WENT TO THE POLE.

HOW IT MISSED THE BpAT. When Captain Amundsen arrived at Hobarl, the president of flic Wellington Zoological Society (the Rev. J. Crewes) was ill, and consequently his suggestion that, it would be well to try to get Captain Amundsen to give to the Wellington Zoo one of the dogs which he toak with him to the South Pole was not mentioned until later than it otherwise would have been. '< When Mr. Castle heard it, however, he thought that it was too good to be ignored, and with the concurrence of ?.Fr. Crewes promptly acted on it. and cabled to Captain Amundsen, who was then at Hobart. Captain Amundsen very kindle accepted the suggestion, and he j ,vid the Norwegian Consul at Hobart did all that thev could to give effect lo it. The Union 'Steam Ship Company also readily consented to bring the dog free rf charge, and Mr. f'astle promptly cabled this fact to C'apf.iin Amundsen. Not thinkin* that the Fram would leave Hobart so'snrm, Hie officials of the Zo-lcgical Society did not communicate with the White Star Company, and the fallowing lett-r which Mr. Crewes has received will explain how. Captain Amundsen's wish was frustrated:— "Hobart, March 20, 1912. "Dear S : r,-On behalf of Capt. Amundsen, of the Fram. I 1)f? to express the re»rct thai he feels ill the regulations ot th" Inspector <:f Animals and aU'o the 10"iilaiio'.is of (he White Star Line, preventing him sending you the present- of mi Arctic dog as he would have wished. The Inspector* of Animals would not allow the dog within the close precincts of Ihe port without bang muzzled, and only to be Iranshipiied from the Fram lying at her moorings in mid-stream after the Whits Star liner Athenie lcl't the wharf 10-dav but the White Slav Company's agents declined to allow it to be received on board until at mv request (hey sent a telcram to their Wellington office asking if they might do so. the reply lo which was not received until after the Uhenic had sailed, and the other alternative of sending the do* bv the Union Company's steamer, via Bind" and Dnnedin, was impassible from the Fram sailing 10-dav, and the inspector's dictum that he would not allow the dog to be put into quarantine a,ud taken out again' for anv such purpose. Ticgrctting tho laws of the Commonwealth are so interpreted.—l remain, dear sir, yours faithfully. .Tame' Maefarlane, Consul for NorHowever. Mc-srs. Castle and Crewes and tho Wellington Zoological Society have proved themselves fairly i:?r-'-teut in their efforts to promote the Wellington Zoo. and they have the sympathy of Captain Amundsen, so the new flovernment will, as soon a* it is formed, be urged lo try to obtain the doe for the. Zoo, and il may be seen in Wellington yet.