THE LADY AND THE TRAM.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8483, 15 May 1893, Page 3

THE LADY AND THE TRAM.

EXCITING SCENE ON THE NEW BRIGHTON LINE.

AN AMAZONIAN VICTORY

People who went out to New Brighton on Saturday afternoon to enjoy a quiet stroll by tho sea aud to recuperate themselves in the fresh breezes after their week's toil met with an adventurous experience which nono of them bargained for. At one time, in fact, it was quite as exciting as the circus with the " lion act " thrown in.

There was not much to piosago the coming storm. Tho afternoon was tine and balmy, tho sky wai clear and passengers who went down by tho early trains —some of them with shaken ncrvos, not equal to the circus—congratulated themselves 011 the prospect of having an afternoon of quiet, peaceful, health-giving onjoyni out. Au alarming awakening was in stose for them. On tho way down curiosity was first arousod by the spectacle of a couple of stout gato posts which had been recently erected on each sido of the line, while closo by were Been lying the shattered fragments of a brand-now gate, which had evidently been smashed to splinters by an axe or some such instrument. A littlo further on their interest was further aroused by tho spectacle of a middle-aged lady of imposing stature and formidable proportions, wearing a deerstalkor hat and walking up and down the line with quite an Aina/.onbn tread. She made no remark, but it was noticed that she looked at the tram with an air of stern defiance, in which seemed to bo mingled a lurking confidence of coming triumph. Still nearer to New Brighton, the passengers —who by this tinio were craning their necks out of the windows and over the top railing, wondering what was to come next —behold another braco of new gate posts and the fragments of another smashed up gate,

Enquiries elicited tho explanation that tho Amazonian lady was Mrs Knight, whose disputes with the Tramway Company have on several occasions been before tho public. Brielly put", we balieve that she claims to use a portion of the tram lino as access to her property, while tho Company allege that it is their private land and that Mrs Knight has no right to uso it us a thoroughfare. To maintain what they believe to ba their legal rights and to prevent a user being acquired over the land, tho Company a few day 8 ago ejected a couple of gates to close across the lino. Thcso wore tho gates whose shattered remaiuß wero aceu by the roadside. Iv apito of watchmen being told off to guard them, somebody managed to descend on those gates, and effectually prevented them from being used for ths purpose for which they wero intended. ' It was the passengers who loft New Brighton by the 4 p.m. tram who came in for most ot tho excitement. To begin with, they were not able to got away at 4 p.m. The tram from town whioh had to make tho return jouruoy was nearly a quarter of an hour late, and the passengers when asked the reason, replied with a significant smile, "Mrs Knight,"and hinted that those who wore going nack might expect "some diversions.'" The promise was amply fulfilled. When tho train reached the sacred territory enclosed in the two pairs of gateposts before-mentioned, a horse and dray wero seen on the line going in the direction of Christchurch. As it romaiued in the roadway, the tram had to slacken its pace, and the proceedings assumed the shape of a funeral procession, the dray representing tho hearse and two tram cars laden with passengers doing duty, of course, for the mourning coaohes, and following at a very decorous pace in the rear, Some of the passenger* by this time wore au air of concern quite befittmga funereal occusion. These were wondering if they would have to proceed at tbe same paco all the way into town, and, if so, when they were likely to dino ; but the younger and more thoughtless portion showed an unbecoming tendency to giggle. Mrs Knight walked sedately behind tno tram-oar, this time with the air of approaching triumph much more pronounced than before.

Arrived at the second gateway, a fresh development occurred. Tho man driving the dray—stated to bo a son of Mrs Knight —deliberately drew it across "the line, so that it was impossible for the tram to proceed. A number of pas. sengers got down to expostulate with him, but he proved quite impervious alike to cajolery and threats. Then an elderly gentleman, well known in commercial circles in Christchurch, took hold of tho horse and attempted to pull it out of the way. At this the dray driver, from being stolid and imperturbable, became Vociferous and violent. Loud words ensued, another well-known city man seeing the elderly gentleman likely to get into trouble went to hiß assistance, and for a few moments there seemed every probability of a fight. Nor was the dray-driver left without assistance. Amazonian reinforcements in the shape of Airs Knight were rapidly brought up from the rear, and the Babel of tongues became louder and more. confused than.ever. Tho man with the dray resolutely declined to budge, and for twenty minutes or half-an-hour Mrs Knight held forth in eloquent and forceful lauguage on the wrongs she had sustained at the hands of the Company. Portly citizens, despairing of dinner, endeavoured to move her with the tale of tho internal pangs they suffered. "Look at mc," said the irate dame, "it's what I've been suffering for seven years past. Tho Tramway Company have taken all I've got, and I've been hungry for seven years ; it's only once iv a way with you.'* A rather pale young man rashly endeavoured to move Mrs Kuight by the use of sterner language, but soon had to succumb. "Do you call yourself a man?" asked the lady. To this somewhat embarrassing question the person addressed returned an inarticulate reply, and Mrs Knight retorted with withering scorn, " Well, you don't look like one." After thia the young man left the task of resuming negotiations with the Amazonian enemy to older hands. The city man, who went to the assistance of the elderly gentleman, was for strong measures. " Let's cut the traces," he said, " and back the horse into the ditch." It looked a tempting way out of the difficulty. The city man pulled out his kuife and was ready to begin. " Now then, who'll support mc ?" he asked. There was no support. Some of the passengers looked at the Amazonian reinforcements, and their courage oozed out of their fingers' ends. Others argued—"This is not our quarrel, but the Tramway Company's. If we interfere and damage the man's property, the law may have something to say to us on the subject, and the results might be worse than a spoilt dinner.' So prudence prevailed, the bellicose city man had reluctantly to put his knife in his pocket, and the deadlock seemed as far off solution as ever.

In the end the dray triumphed. The driver insisted that the tram should back a considerable distance before he would get out of the way. The tram did back, and then the hungry travellers were allowed to proceed on their journey. Before they left, however, a touching scene' was wit. nessed. Mrs Knight took the elderly gentleman by the arm—we are not sure whether atone time she did not put her arm round his neck—walked with him a considerable distance along the line, and apologised to him handsomely for the rough way in which he had been handled by her sou. Then she begged him to see her wrongs righted, the elderly gentleman made aU sorts of rash promises, and the interview closed, as theysay of scenes in the Legislature, with mutual expressions of respect and esteem. The bellicose city man, however, remained firmly of opinion that cutting the traces would have been the quickest and most dignified way out of the difficulty.