A REMARKABLE RIDE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 226, 22 March 1912, Page 2

A REMARKABLE RIDE.

WHICH PROVED FRUITLESS. Auckland, March 19. The story of a remarkable ride comes from Taumarunui. It appears primarily that the hero of the story, Mr. Schultz,' who lives not far from Aukopae, on the Wanganui river, is a quiet, unassuming settler, who has not the least desire to obtain notoriety by breaking records. Ho has, however, just accomplished a remarkable ride, not with the idea of doing anything extraordinary, but with the object of seeing his brother, who was to pass through Taumarunui on Thursday last, on his return to America, via Wellington. Mr. Schultz was in New Plymouth on Wednesday, when he learnt of his brother's movements, and, knowing that unless he caught him at J Taumarunui pn his way '' through he ! would have no other opportunity of seeing him, he decided to ride to this town. •hoping to V in time to meet the train. He left New Plymouth at noon on Wed- | nesday,.and reached Waitara (16 miles) i a couple of hours later. His next stop-ping-place was Urenui, (nine miles),! where he fcKanged horses, after which, following in the' main the route of the Stratford-Te Koura railway, he got to Moutea (12 miles) and thence to Rira Kapa (15 miles) . The total distance traversed to this point was '52 miles. The roads so far had been excellent, but after became deplorably bad. Through the Whangamomona Gorge and through, the Tongaporutu he plugged on till he got to his home in the Ohura in the early hours of the morning. Distance from Rira Kapa, 40 miles; total i distance, 92 Changing his horse ! again (the last good Animal had carried [ him 67 miles in not much over 12 hours) he set out for the final stage of 17 miles over a difficult road through wild and hilly country. Fortunately the recent slips had been cleared away, and he got through without a break. It is a pity suqh a magnificent effort should have pro,yed fruitless, but as he was descending the hill towards the Ongame river bridge he,saw the express steaming out of the Taumarunui station at 4.30 on Thursday morning, Thus he had ridden 109 miles in I<%. hours through cquntry which was in a great part difficult, and in • some places dangerous. "Taking merely time and distance into account, this performance is probably jnot a record one; but under similar condi- • tions it would not he easy to surpass.