CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 45, 16 November 1937, Page 9

CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS

Our Own Correspondent,!

" Party of Thirteeii MISHAPS AT FOXTON

(From

PALMERSTON N., This Day. Whether oue is euperstitious or not, the chapter of , accidents that befell a party numbering 13 when they spent * day at Foxton beach recently must give one furiously to think. . Two-Yamilies joined forces for this outing ap(L it was only on arrival at the beach that the signiffcance of 13 was noted and put aside as nonsense. Fishing was the first item on th^ programme, tRit in launching the boat the rope broke, precipitating one of the mo.thers into the Manawata up to her neck. Fishing proceeded happily for a while. until an officiallooking individual asked to see the net' in use. Horror of horrors, the net was condemned as undersize, although sold as regulation size. Some of the youngthings then elected to go to ,the maia beach, for a bathe, one of the party offering to meet them at the point with a csr. With one eye on .thp beach, over which a high spring tide had recently pounded its way, the driver thought discretion , the .better part of valour and decided- to tur.u baek, only to sink into the sand up to the axles. ^ An appeal " to the fa'thers, then having'good' sport with . the - fishing, . brought the reply, 4Don'fc worry, we'll soon get you out when we've caught enough fish." The car meantime was settling down, its owner be'coming more ' and more agitated. Soon everyond on the beach had arrived to give advice and- lejid a hand and evenlually the car was rescued and ready for the road once more. Dividing the spoils, ope of . the f athers set off for home -with the boat packed on his lorry, when it " was discovered he had taken all the fish. Two cars set off in pursuit, the first- one knocking up a stone which completely shattered the windscreen of « the following car. Apuncture ; was the next misfortuno, which brought the further discovery of the loss of the jack. Nerves were beginning to fray by this time and the f athers were prepared for. any thing to happen. The sight that greete'd one .family on their return was the pet lainb with its feet turned heavenward — dead from too much clover. At milking time a playful cow lcnocked a bucket of milk over a city visitor. ' Mother bumped her head badly on an iron bolt and ihe "littlcst one" developcd a bad throat. To cap it all, tlie insuranco on the car witli the brokeu windscreen had run out and the brakcs of the car which sank in tho sand had to bo rclincd, a"nd it was discovered that • a j parking light had also broken off. [ Thirteen at ihe beach— I should . think [ uotl- . - : -