PELORUS JACK

Hokitika Guardian, 7 December 1932, Page 2

PELORUS JACK

“A MALICIOUS STATEMENT.”

THAT AN OFFICER FIRED SHOT,

WANGANUI, Decemer 5

In connection with the- death of “Pelorous Jack,” a correspondent, Mr John Brine, writes to the Press as follows “Sir, —You publish a letter written by a lady to the “Sydney Morning Herald,” in whicjli it states that the la3Uy saw the second mate of the ship fire a revolver shot at “Jack.” If the..lady writer is inferring • that an officer of -one of the regular, .vessels plying! between: Wellington and Nelson at that . ttniQi committed this dastardly act, then 11 ban .-emphatically assert that: the statement is a malicious slander and grossly untrue. For a long t'me it was thought I was the last person to see “Jack” alive. On the last occasion recorded that “Jack” gave his exhibition, I am certain there was no lady on the deck of the vessel between 1 and ‘2 a.m. that morning.

“A steward brought me a deck chair to watch “Jack” play about. It was a beautiful moonlight, morning. I watched that fish until we were well clear of the French Pass. No officer fired a shot, I am not certain now whether it was the Pateerta or Arahura. I went by oiie and came back by tho other. Two days later the Nelson “Mail” stated that s “Jack” had not been seen for the two occasions ho was expected. I mentioned the matter to several prominent men. They said I must have been the last person to see “Jack alive. Some days later, a large “white fish” was found washed ashore in the ‘Sounds and was thought to be the remains of poor“ Jack.” If “Jack” was shot at all and the lady really did see the shooting, then it must have, been from the deck of one of the foreign whalers known to be in the vicinity at" the time.”