The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1696. COURAGE.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 149, 23 December 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1696. COURAGE.

O While we regret the dreadful death of the late Mr Bright Cooper, who was <ii cii by a shiirk while bathing off the en ht-nch ar Napier, we must com utMid the splendid rourage displayed >y his friends who were bathing at ;.e same tin. ft Although Dr Sweet, Mr Goudy, Mr Trigge, and Mr Saxby mre auiire of the presence in the immediate vicinity of the Tiger ot the Sea which had wounded poor Cooper to the death, yet as soon as they discovered their friend bad been attacked they swam to his assistance, and brought the almost lifeless body to the shore. They did not stop to think whether or not there were other sharks near, attracted by the blood, which would in all probability attack them in their turn, but swan out at once regardless of aH possible consequences It is worthy of note that not-with--ttandiug the fact that the coasts of the North Island swarm with sharks, many of which are of remarkable size and ferocity, the number of persons who have been killed or injured while bathing is singularly small. Many years ago a bandsman of the 65th Regiment was killed in Wellington Bar bor; and a man had his heel bitten off in Auckland Harbor. The death of Mr Cooper is tbe latest incident of the kind recorded.