AUTOMOBILE SCOUTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 149, 5 April 1933, Page 8

AUTOMOBILE SCOUTS.

VARIED EXPERIENCES. ELOPEMENTS AND LUNATICS. An English Automobile Association scout on the road to Gretna Green was recently called to his telephone box, where lie received instructions to stop a motor-car travelling north. He was given a number, and as he was receiving further details the car dashed past. The scout-dropped his receiver, jumped on a motor-cycle and gave chase. A few miles further north he caught the "fugitives" and stopped them. But he had not been told why, and the young man, with whom was a beautiful girl, was indignant. They all returned to the telephone box —and learned that the reason for the hold-up was that a suitcase had fallen from the back of the car a few miles down the road. It was all in a day's work. Here are a few more stories of the experiences of A.A. scouts, some of whom hail from public schools, while others have served in the navy, army, or air force. A notorious thief, in making a getaway, stole a motor-car, a, description of which was issued to all the road scouts after it had eluded the mobile police. A scout saw it and chased it, sometimes noaring the 80 miles per hour mark. Alter many miles the scout drew near, but the car, in putting on more speed, got out °f control, mounted a pavement, and killed a man. The thief was arrested. A dangerous lunatic escaped and was seen by a scout, who was speaking to him when he jumped a wall and bolted with the scout in pursuit. Suddenly the madman stopped and threw a large stone at the scout. It missed. The scout caught up and attacked the lunatic, being injured in the struggle, but overpowering him. He then bound up the lunatic and calmly awaited the arrival of the police. A motorist was fixing the spare wheel after a puncture when the brace flew out of his hand and knocked his wife unconscious. An A.A. scout rendered first aid, and so impressed a tramp that he asked the scont if he could do anything for his corns.