deeper water than they cared to encounter

A LARGE SHARK CAPTURED A large shark has been prowling about the lower harbour for some time past, and up to Tuesday night evaded all efforts of the fishermen to take it. However at nightfall on Tuesday, Mr John Noble, a well known lower harbour fisherman was returning home, he was informed that the monster, some 18 ft long, was in the vicinity of Mr W. Innes's fishery. Mr Noble who has previously taken several sharks in the Port Chalmers waters, at once manned his boat and sent in persuit, succeeding, after a hard contest, in harpooning the creature off the George street wharf. The fish was then towed around to Tunnage's fishery to be hauled up. Here what might have been a very serious accident occurred, for a number of young and old of both sexes desirous of seeing the shark made their way round to Mr Tunnage's fishery and took up a position on the landing-stage designed for the reception of the fish. In all, the unexpected visitors must have been between 30 and 40. The landing stage (only intended to support the weight of the fish) proved unable to support the weight and it sank, taking its occupants into deeper water than they cared to encounter. One young lady, seeing the stage was sinking, very pluckily held on to a wire rope stretched above her head, and succeeded in sustaining herself and two friends. Some few bruises were sustained by some of the young people on the stage, but eventually everyone was landed.

Port Chalmers, Otago, NZ - 1901 - Natural Library NZ on the Commons