CHAR-A-BANC DESTROYED BY FIRE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3671, 28 July 1927, Page 2

CHAR-A-BANC DESTROYED BY FIRE.

AT MOUTOA

Messrs Madge Bros. IJupmobile char-a-banc engaged on the Palmerston North-Taikorea-Foxton-Mouton run, and. driven by Mr. V. McDowell, was totally destroyed by fire at about, six o’clock on' Tuesday evening. Fortunately there were no passengers on the bus at the time but parcels and papers were destroyed.

Mr. McDowell informed our repiesentative that he had experienced some trouble with the engine on his way out to Moutoa from Foxton and when near Mr. W. Smith’s residence the engine back-fired and immediately burst into flames. The flames spread with such rapidity that it was impossible to do anything to check them. Fortunately the last passenger had just been set down, but severals prce'ls and papers were destroyed.

The char-a-banc was*insured for £l5O in the 1.0. A. office.

Messrs Madge Bros, service buses have been dogged with ill-luck this ■week. On Monday the big Studebaker bus smashed a ball-race and .sustained damage to a rear axle on arrival in Foxton on the first trip and had to go out of commission for repairs. The following day the Indiana bus had to go into dock for repairs, while the Studebaker char-a-banc which by this time had been repaired developed further trouble this time in the differential and again had to be laid up. The Hupmobilc was requisitioned and on its first run burst into flames and was destroyed.