A NARROW ESCAPE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3040, 19 June 1912, Page 13

A NARROW ESCAPE.

PRIME MINISTER'S ADVENTURE. AUCKLAND, June 14. The Prime Minister very nearly pro. vided Auckland with a sensation, this morning. The Hon. T. Mackenzie arrived by the Main Trunk express, afid had an hour to spare before leaving by the express for Helensville. Tempted i»y the warm sunshine and the quiet at that hour prevailing, tlie Prime Minister wandered about amongst the shipping, acquainting himself with the nature of the Harbour Board improvements, and incidentally conversing with the Conciliation CommisMr Harle Giles), by whom he was accompanied. Deep in conversation, the Prime Minister failed to notice that the decks of the big liner Zealandic represented a small hive of industry, and that she was busy discharging her cargo. The Zealandic towers very high above the water line, and so there is some excuse for not having noticed that a couple of hundredweight of cargo was being rapidly lowered down upon them. A ship's officer noticing their danger called out, but was not heard, and it was fortunate that the descending sling missed them by inches, landing smartly at their feet. As it was the Prime Minister's burly frame was sent reeling backward as the result of tli* very edge of the slingfull of cargo (sacks of produce) catching him on the shoulder. His hat was knocked off his head, and his clothes showed the naturo of the collision, his coat still bearing traces of the adventure when he boarded the express for Helensville.