A COACH DRIVE IN NEW ZEALAND.

Oxford Observer, Volume 1, Issue VII, 28 September 1889, Page 3

A COACH DRIVE IN NEW ZEALAND.

[By Viator.]

(Continued.) Our coachman then related incidents which befell himself while driving on a very hilly road m New Zealand, with sharp curves and heavy cuttings, by the side of the precipitous and rocky banks of a river. On one occasion a hind wheel broke, and he had to adopt the expedient of lashing a long sapling to the front axle, and allowing the other end to drag on the ground behind, thus forming a rest for the hind axle. The broken wheel was lashed on the top of the coach till they should get to the end of the stage. He had shortly after to stop, to pick up two old ladies, one of whom asked him what was the matter with the coach. " Oh," he replied, with a merry twinkle of his eyes, " On this hilly part of the road I generally take off a wheel and put on a pole for a drag, to save the coach running over tlie horses down these steep cuttings." She replied, quite satisfied, " It must be a very good plan, and that he was evidently a very careful young man." The other old girl was staring with all her eyes at the wheel being m sucn an unusual place. She had not heard her friend's remarks, being rather deaf. She therefore enquired why he had a wheel on top of his coach, before she would get m. "We could never get round the sharp turns m this road without a wheel to steer by," he replied loudly. "If all drivers was as cautious and clever as you be, young man, there'd be fewer accidents," she remarked as she took her seat. On another occasion, a reverend gentleman, who evidently knew more about congregations than coaches, was the only inside passenger. As they trotted down a steep declivity, with the brake on, the old gentleman shouted for the coachman to stop, m a tone of great alarm. When the latter had with some difficulty reined m his horses, he exclaimed, " What is the matter with that wheel ; it isn't going round properly ? " " I know it isn't, Sir," m a much vexed tone, " You needn't haye stopped me to tell me that," and, with a smart crack of the whip, they were off again ; the driver, inwardly wondering/ at a clergyman playing such a -fool's trick on him as he imagined this to be. Again the reverend head was thrust out, and again the reverend -yoice, m tones more imperative and v ;f earful, commanded him to " Stop." %' " You don't have me again that way, boss," he replied, with another crlack of his^whip. < 1 The excitement of the inside* passenger got more intense, and he was preparing to jump out, when thehprses were again pulled up. "Coachman, I'll have you reported as sure as; my name is what it is, for your most horrible carelessness and recklessness^ of your passengers' lives ; that hind wheel has not been going round as it should^, and something has been grating on it with a horrible noise, which you must have heard. Let me out this moment, I will ride no further, ior I'm certain something is wrong, and there will be an accident." "Why, that's the brake, Sir, you hear" " I knew there was a break somewhere ; I'm glad you have found it out so easily. Can it be repaired ? You see now that had my last call been as impudently disregarded by you as my

first, we might by this time have had to meet our God, a Personage whom I sadly fear you are little prepared to encounter, my young iriend. Can you repair it ? If not I shall walk." "Repair it, Sir ? it don't want repairing. It's the brake, for saving the horses going down the hills." At last he got his reverence to understand the true facts of the case, and restored his confidence. (To be continued)