NOT SO BAD.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1092, 4 May 1883, Page 3

NOT SO BAD.

A rather ludicrous incident occurred the other day on the line of the New Zealand R rilways, which is worth reproducing, as showing the extent to which snobbery can extend in official circles in this fair land of promise, if not of actual realisation. On the arri' al of the northern express at Waikonaiti two passengers, who were wait'ii; there, ptoceeded to enter a first-class carnage, the door of which stood invitingly i open, with an apparent appearance of empty benches. One of the gentlemen deposited his ortmentrai on the s *at and thinking himself fortunate in having secured such excellent accommodation, returned on the platform on some mission. The other gentleman, on the alert as passeng ts usually are to obtain the moat advantageous scat in which comfort and ease form not the least important consideration, followed the example set him and also entered the csy looking carriage, the arrangements of t.he seats of which with its peculiar construction differed in some respects from the ordinary passenger carriages, and therefore proved no doubt all the more attractive from the novelty presented. The only occupant of the carriage was a solitary gentleman, who reclined in graceful attitude on the velvet cushions, the curling and fantastic wreaths of smoke from a mtlo, sweetbriar, or meerschaum, our informant could not say which, which he was enjoying, assis ing to increase the air of comfort and ease which the surroundings suggested. It will not lie surprising therefore to find the second passenger expressing in tones of satisfaction his sense of the improvement presented inside to the ordinary mode of travelling. “By jove 1 this is an improvement, upon which the authorities are to he congratulated.” “Is this an indication of wh it we are to expect in the future ? ” “ Surelv this is something new in railway travelling,” an- 1 so fort' , The occupant of the carriage to which ..nese ejaculations were uttered smiled a placid and knowing smile, and relieving Iris mouth of the calumet of peace by which it was encumbered, and in which he seemed to level with all the outward signs of enjoyment, replied, “ This is the Minister’s carriage.” The o ituseness of the other gentleman or probably thinking that the carriage which had been placed at the disposal of Ministers was being used for ordinary mortals, prevented him from taking the hint, and he rejoined, “The Minister’s carriage; I thought it was something new, and decidedly co«y and comfortable,” at the same time testing the softness of the cuslrions-by seating himself in one corner in the expectation of enjoying the rile Ills anticipations were, however, abruptly dispelse iby the guard in serious tones exclaiming, with his head inside—“ This is a private carriage.” The gentleman, as if electrified, jumped up and with a “ beg your pardon ” to the ponderous official inside, made a rapid exit, a wiser if not ‘a sadder man, and ensconsed himself in an adjoining Pullman cogitating on snobs and snobbery in official life in New Zealand, and asking himself the why and wherefore Mini-tors and high officials cannot travel bv rail like ordinary fo'k, see ng they are but public servants. The other gentleman who was making all haste to re enter the carnage also received a gentle reminder that the removal of his portmanteau had become a necessity, and at th - risk of losing his passage ho had to go in search of another seat.