MOTOR CAR ARTILLERY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 154, 24 March 1908, Page 7

MOTOR CAR ARTILLERY.

. .' PREMIER'S EQUIPPAGE ROUTS THE '•■' MAORIS, ■ 1 [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] • .; ■ . . . Auckland, March 23. i.v A. n amusing -incident occurred on Saturday during tho Prime Minister's tour. . It is rclatedby the ."Herald's " correspondent!iTwo ,• Maoris were peacefully ■ jogging along the - Bay of Plenty, Beach Road between; Ponga- , kawa.and'Matafa, in. a, heavy cart, drawn by threo horses,'when tho motor car containing tho'Prime- Minister came up behind. Tho Ministerial^:;"party, sighted . this . Nativo caravan some distance away, and the chauffeur;repeatedly sounded his horn, in ordor to get a clear run' ; along tho track, which is very : narrow at .this particular point. As the car drew near at a fairly rapid pace, one of tho Maoris heard the warning, and'leisurely prepared to draw his team out of tho road. As he did'so, the;sparking plug of tho motorcar missed fir'o, and went off. with a sharp re- ; port: like, a' rifle shot. ; The startled Maori f glanced roiind in great alarm, and an elderly Maori, asleep in the bottom of tho cart, sprang up with, wild yell., Just as lie. did bo, ■■■ another,."miss-fire" occurred. - . "My word! " ejaculated tho driver, .and' without' niore ado', lie abruptly wheeled his team off ..tho track, and sent them plunging down! the steep declivity to , the beach, while- his ■ riged "companion , sank on his knees, and, , poured forth what might liavo been an invo-' cation ;of..- all the Maori gods.' Tho motor-car whizzed past,' and two trembling • Maoris ' watched 'it; anxiously till' it had disappeared in the distance. It would be interesting to -.have heard the,story they told their womenfolk ivhen they returned to their wliare in , the evening; Probably, they will go dnvn . to their graves . under tlie- impression that thoy woro Jired upon bj' the Prime Minister. '