I do love the Papers Past online collection of old New Zealand newspapers. Often, when using it for historical research, I find unrelated bonus stories that tickle my fancy. Today, in the 13 November 1900 edition of the Mataura Ensign, I came across the following pearler about an entangled horse and bicycle in Gore:

A horse and a bicycle, between whom a close attachment subsisted for a few palpitating moments, were the cause of some little excitement in Main street [Gore], the other day. The horse (owned by Mr S. G. Inder) had been hitched to a post against which a bicycle was resting. The reins of the horse’s bridle became tangled in the bicycle pedal, and the horse starting back, took the bicycle with him. Naturally the animal’s alarm was great at finding a full-grown bicycle dangling excitedly at the end of the reins, and a mad career across the road was inaugurated. The bicycle, swinging in the air, came into violent collision with a verandah post, and the horse was precipitated on the footpath within a few inches of dashing through Messrs Lewis & Co.’s window, and exploiting a choice assortment of millinery. At this stage horse and bicycle were parted. The machine, a battered wreck, lay dejectedly on the side walk, while the horse, with a pedal dangling from the reins, bolted up the street, to be recaptured shortly afterwards. Of the two the bicycle had decidedly the worst of the encounter.

Main Street Gore, 1905. For what it’s worth, the large central building housed a department store owned by my own family. It was known as ‘MacGibbon’s Corner’.