“CAPTAIN CUTTLE’S” DOG

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 82, 28 June 1927, Page 13

“CAPTAIN CUTTLE’S” DOG

KILLED BY MOTOR-BUS

SEQUEL IN COURT

On the evening of February 2 last, a vaudeville entertainer, Mr. P. J. Aylward, whose stage name is “Captain Cuttle,” was walking along the Great South Road in the direction of Ellerslie accompanied by his dog, the leader of a troup of performing animals. As the footpaths in that district were in a rough state he walked on the concrete roadway. Then, according to evidence given by him in the Magistrate’s Court this afternoon, a bus flashed out of the gloom toward him at 35 or 40 miles an hour and “grazing his side,” sped onward in the direction of Panmure. On looking back the “captain” was horrified to see his valuable dog lying dead on the concrete.

On these grounds Aylward claimed £9O damages from the Passenger Transport Company, one of whose buses he alleged killed the dog. Several witnesses called by Mr. Lennard, counsel for Aylward, were sure that the bus in the case* belonged to the Transport Company, and that it was travelling between 30 and 40 miles an hour without lights. The time would be between 8.15 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. on February 2. T. B. Dundordale, manager of the defendant bus company, said he received a letter from Aylward about February 5. complaining that one of his buses had killed the dog. On making inquiries among his drivers he could find nothing about the matter. He showed that at the time the incident was. said to been caused by one of his buses, none was on the road. (Proceeding.)