EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 501, 20 March 1880, Page 2

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN

THE PRIME MINISTER’S ROOM. (Wellington Chronicle, March 15.) A couple of (.lays ago a reporter of a Wellington paper called at the Government Buildings to inspect some maps. Ho was courteously taken in hand by an Under-Secretary. They had to pass through the Prime Minister’s room, where our journalistic iriend stared aghast at seeing the secretary of one of tho Royal Commissions comfortably seated on the “ throne” of the Premier, cheek by jowl with him was the shorthand writer to the Commission, who is known amongst pressmen as a “ regular cure.” The reporter said to Ids quondam associates, “ What the duece are you doing here ?” Secretary R.C.—“Tam the Premier pro tem Shorthand writer—“ And I am his secretary.” The reporter was rather flabergasted, but he passed on and did the work. Twenty minutes later ho returned, and found the Prime Minister pro tem and his private secretary still occupying tho same positions. He said to them, “ Gentlemen, as a con frere , I would warn you that you are standing, or rather sitting, on dangerous ground. Beware of the pr:vate secretary to the Prime Minister.” Scarcely had those warning notes been sounded, when the door opened and a grey head was cautiously inserted. “ Messieurs,” said the owner of the head in question, “ Do you know where you are ? Are you aware of the fact that this is the Prime Minister’s room. Do von not see private papers of the Hon John Hall lying about? Are jmu aware of the State secrets to which you have access !” Shorthand writer—- “ Why, Mr Blank, yon might have told us something we didn’t know. Wo have the frllest knowledge as to our present location, and all the august surroundings connected therewith.” Secretary R.C.—“Mr Blank, we are really not to blame. The Colonial Secretary, beloved of the Loftus Troupe el hoc genus omne, sent us hero as servants of the Crown, and we had to do as we were bid, or stand the chances of a drumhead court martial. I have previously occupied a position in which 1 dictated to ilk- Premier and his officers ; but let

that pass. Tempora mutantur nos ot mutamw in illis This seemed like Laving a dictionary of Latin quotations flung at Lis head, and the grey-headed gentleman left incontinently murmuring as lie backed out, “ The whole affair is 100 terrible, and I wash ray hands of it.” Tiie moral of the whole affair is : When Governments appointßoyal Commissions almost innumerable they should provide proper accommodation, and not compel the whilhom occupant oi a fourth estate throne to p“rc;h himself on the throne of a third estate man. Such a course must be demoralising to the fourth—properly the first estate, and humiliating to the present leader of the third estate.