The weather was fair in Greymouth in the morning, but rain was encountered at Moana.
The passengers coached from Otira to the landslip and walked the remainder of the distance - about six miles - to the Arthur's Pass railway station.
The train had been kept back.
Amongst the passengers were a number of soldiers returning to Trentham after being home on leave.
Some of the passengers from Christchurch went on, but the ladies returned.
The train reached Christchurch on time, having made up on the way the time lost.
• The value of school gardening is at present very much in evidence at the Wakari School, where five beds of chrysanthemums are in full bloom, and there are still remains of some excellent pansy blooms.
Large beds of Austrian pines, and young olearia plants for hedges, are coming on well, and these, when fit to transplant, will be distributed to country schools.
Mr Moir, the head master, points with special pride to a pile of ground from which a crop of Great Scot potatoes has just been lifted, equal to a yield of 16 tons to the acre.
In one corner stands a compost heap, built up of garden refuse mixed with lime.
All the work was begun, and carried on, by the scholars, even to the hard work of trenching the ground two feet deep.
• As the red deer in the Lindis and Morven Hills district are still very numerous, and of poor class, also reported to be damaging root and other crops, the Otago Acclimatisation Society has obtained authority from the Hon.
Minister of Internal Affairs to issue permits to approved persons to shoot off these deer.
About 50 stalkers visited the Blue Mountains this season, but no head of any merit appears to have been obtained.
Some settlers still continue to complain of damage done by these deer, and following upon Mr Moorehouse's report a portion of the district has been set aside where, by a permit from the Society's council, deer may be killed until the 31st December next.
Supported by a recommendation from the Tapanui Deer and Anglers' Association, the council endeavoured to arrange with the Government to have a portion of the Blue Mountains set aside as a sanctuary for fallow deer, with the object of saving the herd from being totally decimated.
Whilst not going the full length desired, the Government has agreed to regulations which will afford a certain amount of protection, but placing the onus upon this society to see that the settlers' interests are not allowed to suffer in consequence. - ODT, 27.5.1916.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
