A FISHING INCIDENT AT PAPAKURA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 536, 1 June 1920, Page 3

A FISHING INCIDENT AT PAPAKURA.

(By THE JESTER). Down at the new Karaka bridge Old Rueben worked one day, Sawing off the iron spikes That barred the right-of-way.

There was a great commotion In the waters near to him, And there a hundred yards away A monster fish did swim.

Too good to keep, the news soon spread To Papakura town, Twenty .feet long the monster was, A whale of great renown. Young Cliff was in the village When he heard the exciting news. And he Qnly wished to Heaven He'd been in Rueben's shoes. So home the lad then hurried, • Excitement made him pale. He was telling eveiybody About the monster whale. By the time he had arrived there, So much the fish did shrink. 'Twas only ten. feet long instead Of twenty-feet I think.

It was larger than a schnapper, But smaller than he'd heard. The gross exaggeration To Cliff appeared absurd. But he was nothing daunted. For once he there had got, He would not leave the scene until He'd filled the fish with' shot. One man had got a rifle, I think a three nought thiee, Although I must confess he was A stranger quite to me. But he retired from the scene. And how I pi l tied him. He must have thought the bullets couldn't Pierce the monster's skin.

But Cliff had vowed to kill that fish And he would not reitire Until'upon that rocky shore He saw the fish expire. A man of venerable age Came down to view the sport, And very much annoyed was Clifl To hear just what he thought. The shot thr(t Cliff was using He said was far too small, The fish would swim about until They used the leaden ball. Having .delivered this sound advice, The "Solomon" home did go, Muttering to himself the while How little some boys did know. Robinson Crusoe came along, A teacher once was he. He knows the name of every fish That liveth in the sea. He said it was a grampus,

And as he spelt its name, I thought that very few were there Who could have done the same. By now Cliff had discovered ThJlt "Solomon" was right, He could not kill the fish because The shot was too light. He left the scene of battle, And made for his abode, And many a solid, heavy charge He there was seen to load. His preparations finished, Returned he to the fray, And many an ounce of shiny le:id The spoatsman fired away. 'Twas like a shooting gallery, Spectators by the score. I thought the fish was dead for sun Each time the guns did roar. There was a boy called Bill There shooting wifh the rest. Of all the shooters who were there, Bill thought he was the best. He had a little, rifle, A single shot at that, He pi\t sixty-seven bullets Into the grampus fat. Every shot he fired Hit the target stiff. He deserves mjre credit For killing it than Cliff. The lead Cliff fired at the fish Made him far from well, Though why it should have done so, I really cannot tell. At last the fight was over, He on the top did float, Some men and boys together Lfited him iifto the boat. They rowed him to the shore To show him off of course. Then up into the paddock They dragged him with a hoise. And he upon the bank No sooner did appear, Than the public congregated From places far and near. They had a lot of trouble To find the fish a name. And very much amused I was To listen to the same.

Some said it was a porpoise, A dolphin and a whale, A blackfish and a grampus, They knew it by its tail. The different names they railed it Amused me very much. I think it was a grampus, And write of it as such. And when 'they all had named it, They turned it on its side, And who it was that shot it, They tried then to decide. A man renowned f° r talking Stood up and held the floor, And such a flow of eloquence 1 never heard belore.

His voice was sweet and musical, And though a trifle loud, It made a great impiessifm---Upon the listening crowd.

Although I was enraptured, I felt my spirits sink, When now and (then behind him, I saw Cliff shyly wink. He pointed to the scratches And cuts upon its side, Which proved it bumped the iocks While battling with the tide. He proved /to them who'd shot it, And none dared contradict him. Although 1 know if they had dare They would have up and kick him.

When he'd this knotty problem solvi He'd only to decide How to ge»t most money tor The valuable hide. He said for making laces, It was the very stulr. The hide was soft and pliable, And most absurdly tou£>h.

To every new arrival, The story then they told. It fairly made me sick, Because it was so old. ! 1 know you won't believe me, But I stood and gasped foi breatn. I'd hea, d the tale so often, I was nearly bored to death. When next Cliff went down to the He found thflt some bad nipper Had been so sorely tempted that He'd carried off a flipper. The ignoble end the poor fish had Does make me simply boil. Cliff popped him on the futt To boil him down for oil. I hope some day another tisli Down to the bridge will 1 in anticipation live Of having some more run.