A UNIQUE JOY RIDE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 13 June 1917, Page 4

A UNIQUE JOY RIDE.

Utiku’s best known resident ajaag with a couple of Taihape friends, had a parlous experience whilst journeying homo per motor on Monday night. Business had kept the surburbanitc in town until a late hour and unfortunately, the* necessity of replenishing his stock of carbide for the lights of his motor, had been overlooked. Arriving at the car he found everything in darkness, but the night being wintry and his warns bed calling loudly to him, he took the bull by the horns and decided to face the music of the five mile spin. The' passengers (both of whom live along the south road) being seated, a start was made down the main street, thg driver having his left hand on the wheel whilst the other he held a small electric torch with jvhich he endeavoured to pick his tracks towards home. All went smoothly until the bridge below the town was negotiated, then) alas; the car forgot to turn with thg road and strolled on to a .greasy patch' overhanging the stream from the water tunnel. The passengers at once received instructions to waste no time in seeking assistance whilst the owner of the four-wheeler secured a good grip of the conveyance to prevent it slipping into the creek below. Passenger number one, who is noted for hia short-sightedness, without any demur made off in the direction of some railway cottages, but he lost some vah&hle time by falling at the first fence and landing into a nice mixture of clay and water. In the meantime passenger number two had crawled through the fence higher up and hit upon a dry level. Together they clambered up the' hill and endeavoured to arouse the inmates of one or two cottages but received no response to their knocks they continued their journey to the engine sheds. On hearing of the disaster that had befallen the motorists an army of “night-shifters” unhesitatingly volunteered to render all possible assistance and once on the scene with ropes and crowbars the motor was returned to the metal road. After an usually long thanksgiving service and the handing of a “frog skin” to the salvage party, a. fond adieu was waved. The moon having in the meantime risen well into the heavens the remainder of the journey ,was Worn picked .Without further mishap.