THE PENGUIN DISASTER.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9435, 4 May 1909, Page 5

THE PENGUIN DISASTER.

Press Association,

Wellington, Mav 4. The Penguin appeal case was continued to-day. • Captain Naylor, recalled, said that when the Penguin struck she appeared to strike on her starboard side with a gliding blow. She was a single bottom iron vessel, 46 years old. A submerged spar might make a hole in her. After the vessel struck he went full speed for three or four minutes, and slow for eleven or 13 minutes, and then stopped. No breakers were heard or seen. It took the rafts and boats hours to reach the shore He did not see Karori rook on the night of the wreck. Cross-examined, Captain Naylor admitted that a great deal of notice was not taken of the registration of the log crossing the Straits, because of the tides. On the night of the wreck the log was looked at at 8.9 and 9.30. He was now of opinion that whatever, the Penguin struck she came in contact with something three miles off Sinclair Head. He had altered his opinion as the result of hearing other evidence. He still considered there was a good tide that night, say, four knots an hour, and admitted that the stronger the tide the stranger the probability of the vessel being taken oat of her course. Re-examined, witness said if the vessel did strike Tom’s Rock he had been taken out of his course by a phenomenal tide. If she struck with her starboard side on Tom’s Rock it was almost certain that ha weald have heard the breakers on shore.

Mr Wragge says that fine winter weather will soon occur, with frosts inland. Horticulturists should take steps to protect tender plants. * An apprentice named Harding had his foot caught in the steering gear of the steamer Whakama on her voyage from Lyttelton to Gisborne. The foot was badly crushed, and Harding was brought to the hospital where probably several toss will be amputated. One of the elephants employed a Wirtb’s Girona in Sydney narrowly escaped losing several joints of his tail one Saturday night* recently, when they were chewed by the big brown bear. The elephant was“eagaged in hauling the bear’s cage ia the arena, when a fly led to his swishing his tail through the bars. The bear instantly pounced upon it, and, holding it ,‘in his paws, proceeded to try to eat it. The elephant pranced wildly, and his roars were pathetic. The attendants seized animal forks and all sort of implements, and the peanut boy dexterously juggled a whole basket of nuts near the bear’s nose; but only the severest proddiugs compelled him to let go. Fortunately, the elephant is an animal that takes troubles philosophically, £bnt the following day he spent gazing dejectedly at his tail, which now resembles a piece of ancient rubber hoae.

An interesting discussion on bylaws took place d nring the hearing of a case at the Wellington Supreme Court on Saturday. Referring to those in operation at Palmerston North, Mr Justice Cooper remarked that one of them provided that no building of less than two stories could be erected in the business part of the town. Supposing, he said. It was proposed to build a chapel or school within the area, surely the erection of a building containing two stories would not be insisted upon? Subsequently counsel remarked that a municipality not many miles from Wellington had drafted a by-law providing that the buildings within a specified area mast be painted every two years I When the laughter which was occasioned had subsided counsel added that he understood the by-law had ultimately been rejected.