Substantial reinforcements landed at Alhucemas and Morronuevo, and several coastal tribes are ready to surrender. The Spanish general reports that neighbouring villages hoisted the white flag.
Eventful rugby trip
The trip from Oamaru to Dunedin by motor car usually occupies from three to three and a-half hours, but some of the Otago footballers returning from the match between Otago and North Otago on Saturday spent more than nine hours on the road. The journey was a chapter of accidents. A 16-seater bus and a seven-seater car had been hired to convey the team to Oamaru. The bus had to stop twice on the way up to replace punctured tyres, but the journey was accomplished in good time. It was on the return trip that serious trouble was encountered. The occupants of the car, on turning the corner approaching the Shag River, were greeted with the sight of their team mates marooned in the centre of the stream. To make matters worse the river was rising rapidly. The car was immediately despatched to a neighbouring farm house to procure a tow-line. One of the team, after being chased by a cattle dog, obtained a short length of rope and a coil of plough rein.
During the absence of the more fortunate vehicle the time was occupied by the singing of "Shall We Gather at the River" and "Asleep in the Deep" and other more or less appropriate tunes.
The return of the car (which was light enough to cross the rather frail bridge) was announced by loud cheers. A rope was thrown to the stranded bus and attached to the car, which proceeded, with the help of its occupants, and to the accompaniment of shouts of encouragement, to haul the stranded party from its watery resting place. Gradually the bus approached the edge, but when it was about six feet from dry land the rope broke.
A second attempt was successful. It was some time before the engine could be started, and it was 11 o’clock before the journey was resumed.
On the southern side of Palmerston the bus ran out of petrol, and the contents of the only remaining tin were emptied into the tank. Then the motors ran into a heavy fog, and progress was very slow. The small car was still in the rear when the bus came to the last of its petrol again. This time, after a long delay, a supply was obtained from a farmer’s garage. The car, leaving the driver of the bus to carry the petrol to his charge, set off for town, arriving there at about 2.30am. But there was no sign of the bus or its occupants. Scenting trouble, the driver of the car with two of the team returned to Upper Junction to find that the larger vehicle could not be started. By this time the footballers had become resigned to their fate and were attempting to obtain a little sleep.
Two heads, however, are better than one, and the engine was eventually persuaded to function again. It was well after 5 o’clock when the sleepy but cheerful footballers arrived back in town. — ODT, 14.9.1925
Compiled by Peter Dowden
