FRENCHMAN'S QUANDARY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1409, 9 April 1912, Page 4

FRENCHMAN'S QUANDARY.

LOST PAPERS AND PANTOMIME,

(By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, April 8. An awkward situation, in which a French visitor to Auckland recently found himself, had an amusing denouement.

Tho gentloman—an official from Tahiti —arrived in Auckland last week by tho Talune, on his way to Franco on a sis months' furlough. Ho brought with him a passport, a birth certificate, and certain other official documents of considerable importance to himself, but of no valuo to anyone else. These papers ho carried with him in a 6mall parcel, and last Thursday ho happened to leavo tho package on a seat in Albert Park. Coming back a few moments later he found that a light-fingered momber of tho community had lifted liis property in tho nioantimo, and, in some perturbation, he endeavoured to explain his loss to ono of the gardeners. As tho French visitor epeaks no English he found it difficult to luake any hoaidway until an official of tho Auckland Detective Department, who speaks French fluently, came to the rescue. Ho was advised to report his loss to the police, which ho did, and tho papers wero recovered shortly afterwards by a constable, who found them in Queen Street. They had been abandoned by the thief as soon as ho discovered their valueless nature.

When tho owner called to claim his property trouble again aroso through tho absence of an interpreter. Tho police officer whom he interviewed set out to tell his visitor by signs to return again at B o'clock, when he knew that their

"French scholar" would bo at tho station.

Tho gentleman, having apparently grasped the purport of the signs, went nil', but tailed lo re I urn at the time indicated. When lie did return, 011 Saturday morning, ho was sufficiently lucky as to liml the official who could _ speak l'rcm-h, and was rejoiced In have his properly restored to him. While n receipt v.as being made out for him to sign, the visitor produced some money from his pocket, and proceeded to count out several shillings. When asked what that was for, 110 replied: "Why, the gentleman in there told me there would 1)0 eight shillings to pay." Tho notion evidently was derived from the previous reference to 8 o'clock. Tho "lanßUßgo of signs is now at a discount at the police station.