STAG’S ADVENTURES

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1933, Page 6

STAG’S ADVENTURES

HUNTED OUT OF ENGLAND

NINE OF PEACE

A British Lag recently died ill France after an adventurous career. In 1924 the West Kent Staghounds hunted him down to the shore, and, rather than face the hounds, he swam out to sea, People thought he would drown, because he must have • been wearys;'w'hen v to the-‘wafer,’ 1 but th© desire • ii was strong in him, and he held obit

The crew of a. French trawler were amazed to ; meet a stag in mid-Channel. Their captain was a kindly man, and 'the| deer was hauled aboard, a nd taken on the trawler to Dunkirk. But " now, the etag, which had escaped being torn by the hounds, butchered by Hie huntsman, and drowned by the. sea, seemed likely to be hanged by red tape. .t%'Someone told the captain be was liable ;, ( to a heavy fine for carrying live caijgo. The captain asked the Frencii Mimstlry-'of Agriculture to relieve him of the deer, but, was told it was impossible, because • the animal was not French. The Ministry suggested shoot-J ing,.„ but, the police said it was the j close season tor deer, and so the atag escaped that fate. Then the maste r of the West Kent Staghounds was asked 1 to take the deer, but he could not,- because the stag | would have had to remain in quaran-1 tine for six months, and no one seemed anxious to pay. for his keep. So the stag had another escape. ' I Then av kind-beaded Frenchman came forward ottering to adopt the stag, and brave all ’the official consequences. The captain of the trawler and the iMayo,. of • Dunkirk 'were delighted ’ to, be rid of the’lanimia-l, I

For the last nine years tile stag lived in a park ait Le Touquet, where he had French deer dor company. Hie owner kept a restaurant, but be never dreamed of making the British stag into vension pie. Not thus, he held, ‘should France treat those -who sought asylum on her hospitable shores 1 Now 'the'’" stugr-'who was bunted out of the good Rent hiinterg has died 1 of old age.