TAXIS TELESCOPED.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14289, 27 February 1912, Page 5

TAXIS TELESCOPED.

RUNAWAY SMASHES FOUR CABS. EXCITEMENT IN HEREFORD STREET. About 2.45 yesterday afternoon great excitement was occasioned in Hereford 6treot, consequent upon' the bolting ol two' horses attached to a lot.ry belonging to the New Zealand Express Company, Ltd. It appears that tho lorry was standing outside tho Hereford street entrance to the Company's premises, when 4 for some reason unknown, the horses bolted at.a terrific pace along Hereford street towards Colombo street. There was no -river in charge of tho lorry. Tne horses, on -approaching', the- rear of the taxi-cab rank, appeared to hesitate for a'moment. One swung to the left and the other to the right, with tho result that the pole of tho lorry smashed through the back of the last taxi on the rank, belonging to Mr G. F. Scott. It was very considerably damaged. The impetus was communicated to tho_ second taxi, owned by H. Yorke, and It. too, suffered severely. Tho third and fourth cars, belonging to Smith's, Ltd., wero also damaged, though, to a lesser extent. Fortunately both these cars had their brakes on, otherwise the other cabs on the rank would have suffered too. As it was the fourth cab, driven by J. Kelly, was lifted on to tho fifth, tho springs of which went over its front axle and jammed there, jacks having to be employed to free the cars. Tho coming of the runaways was noticed first by drivers at the Bank of New Zealand and of the queue. Their warning cries allowed the drivers of the catrs to get to safety, though thero was not time for them to save their cabs.