LAST NIGHT'S LATE EXPRESS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18367, 28 April 1925, Page 8

LAST NIGHT'S LATE EXPRESS.

THE STORY OF A LOST TABLET

The second express from the south last evening did not arrive in Christchurch until after eight o'clock, about three-quarters of an hour behind schedule time. The delay was duo to a series' of accidents, the first of which occurred at Waikouaiti, where the train was held up for a time waiting for a signal. The assisting engine wa3 dropped at Seacliff, this also causing some delay, but the most serious hindrance was experienced at Malvern, where it was discovered that the tablet had been lost. The passengers assisted in tho search for the missing piece of equipment, but it could not be located, and word was sont on to the nest} sttition, from which a man was sent with a new tablet and tho train was allowed to go ahead. These were not tho only incidents which occurred during the trip. A number of ships' firemen who were travelling on the train smashed a window in one of the second-class compartments, and the police boarded the express at Tiinaru to try to locate the culprit. They were unsuccessful, however, but at Ashburton one of the men was arrested on the station for creating a disturbance.