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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2756, 27 April 1916, Page 4

The second express from the south on* Monday evening, which was due to an rive in Christchurch at 7.10 p.m., was delayed an hour and a half by a peculiar mishap. One of the attendants, A. Austin, employed on the car next to the engine, missed his footing, and fell from the train ; between Dunsandel and,Baukside. This was not discovered'until about half a dozen miles had been traversed, when the train was stopped and reversed, which, of course, owing to this slow method of procedure, was responsible for the delay. Aftef about four miles had been covered in, this .way a motor-car . was seen approaching in the opposite direction'on tho road, which at this point runs parallel with the line. On reaching v the tfr.in the car pulled up, and it was then -discovered that the missing man had miraculously escaped unhurt, and some motorists passing had picked him up, intending to catch up the tram at its first stopping place. A Press Association message from Auckland states that the new buildm" of. tho Auckland Boys Grammar School was officially opened by the Governor. There was a large attendance, including the Countess of Liverpool, tho Hon. J. A. Ha'nau (Minister of Education), and Sir Robert Stout. Sir William Wyndham Portal, who. • presided at the annual general meeting of tho London and South-Western Railway, said the company had had to bear tho brunt of the movement of troops consequent upon the war, so much so that from-August 4, 1914 to the end of January, 1916, they had been called upon to provide over 15,000 special trains for troop movements, quite apart from tho special trains run for soldiers on leave, tho empty trains run in connection with troop movements, and the 2500 ambulance trains which they had N had to haul with wounded men sent back from the various fronts. Of their men, 3312. had joined tho Forces, tho percentage being 13.G, while 104 had ' died from various causes while on active service. ■ >