AUCKLAND ZOO.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1923, Page 3

AUCKLAND ZOO.

GIFT ELEPHANT ARRIVES. AUCKLAND, June 7. The first appearance of the City Council’s gift elephant, Jannina, before the Auckland public yesterday proved very disappointing, as she Ignored the welcome awaiting her, and refused to come ashore from tne steamer. The “official landing” was fixed for three o’clock, at which hour a large number of people had gathered on the King’s Wharf to welcome their new pet. At the appointed time Jamuna was unchained from the ring-bolts, and led to a heavy wooden gangway rigged specially to hold her weight. The journey to the wharf, however, proved too fearsome for the beast, for, after testing the gangway thoroughly with her trunk, she refused to go. any further. The Indian attendant, ns well as the ship’s officials and the company’s stevedores all tried to coax the animal to step oil to the gangway. All their endeavours proved without avail, the only result being that tho elephant knelt on the deck as if praying to be left alone. The situation was most humorous. An inclined approach of hatches was then made to the gangway, hut this was not considered to he any improvement, by the elephant, as she then sat on her haunches and moaned feebly. About lialf-an-hour was spent in trying to induce Jammu to take the risk, hut she could not he persuaded. Each 1 time she was in dtteed to move she either knelt on the (leek or sprawled out and refused to put her fore feet on ihe gangway. The •attempt was then abandoned, and .Jannina was led back to her quarters on the deck, and again chained up. She was hoisted ashore by crane this

In contrast to the behaviour of tho elephant was the action of one of Hie monkeys which wore her fellow-pas-sengers from India. This monkey escaped from ils cage before the steamer readied Auckland, and could not he located. After the steamer berthed yesterday morning the monkey was found hiding in a wardrobe in one of the officer’s cabins. lYlien discovered it darted out of the cabin and made for the shore, where it hid in one of the sheds oil the wharf. There if remained all yesterday, perched high up on one of the topmost girders, and refused to lie coaxed down near enough to he captured. The network of girders supporting the roof of tlio shea is an ideal gymnasium for a monkey, and the delinquent will take some capturing.