BOARDED WRONG BUS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 77, 1 April 1938, Page 8

BOARDED WRONG BUS

VON LUCKNER LOST i ARRIVED AT STRATFORD. | “I don’t know where I am, but 1 am a long way from Palmerston North,” exclaimed Count Felix von Luckncr to a friend at Hawera on Tuesday who received a telephone call shortly after 10 a.m. Enquiries showed that the count, who was to go by bus to Palmerston North, had taken the wrong bus and was at Stratford. Count von Luckner was due at Palmerston al 5 p.m. on Wednesday at the Officers’ Club and to give a lecture in the evening. He booked a seat in the '9.15 a.m. bus from Hawera, but by mistake he and the countess boarded a 9 a.m. bus to New Plymouth. It was not until the driver casually asked were the count and countess were staying at New Plymouth that the mistake was discovered. The bus was nearly at, Stratford, and on arriving there the count rang a Hawera friend. “I am in a terrible fix,” he said. “They’ve put me on the wrong bus! I don’t know where I am.” Someone present volunteered the information that it was Stratford, but that did nol relieve the count. Finally he was informally met by the Mayor of Stratford, Mr. J. W. McMillan, who took him for a drive in his car. The count also met a number of returned soldiers and left Stratford for Palmerston North on an 11.30 a.m. bus, arriving there about 5.30 last, night, after being taken by private car from Wanganui. In appreciation of the assistance given by the driver of the north-bound bus, the count presented him with a photograph on which were the words, “To a gentleman, with thanks, from Felix Count Luckncr, an old raider in distress." Mr. Wm. Dey, of New Plymouth, the driver of the car which conveyed Count von Luckner south again, was also presented with an autographed photograph by the traveller in appreciation of his assistance.