A KNOWING COMMISSIONER.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 530, 8 June 1880, Page 3

A KNOWING COMMISSIONER.

A good story of the Railway Commissioners reaches me from Patea. It will be remembered the gentlemen in question travelled at express speed from Wanganui to New Plymouth, stopping only to accommodate man and beast at the different hotels en route. The Commissioners reached Carlyle on a Sunday, one of them having lost his hat on the way. Desirous of obtaining a new head covering, the Commissioner was directed to the establishment of a local draper. After apologising for troubling the tradesman on the day of rest, he asked to be supplied with a hat, giving as a reason that he had lost his on the road from Waitotara. The dignity of a Boyal Commissioner sitting easily on the customer, the draper in question affably entered into conversation while' looking over the stock. The emeute among the railway navvies having taken place at Waitotara the day before, the draper said, “ You must have had rough times of it at Waitotara. Good -job you got off so easily. I hear some of them had their heads broken.” The Commissioner felt compelled to explain that he had not taken part in the rough and tumble affair alluded to. Changing the subject, the soft goods man asked what sort of tile his customer would like, I suppose I must not be too particular in a small place like this, where you have to get your goods brought overland so far,” replied the R.C. “It must be pretty expensive getting your stocks from Wanganui.” The Carlyle man enlightened' his unknown customer by explaining that there was a port in connection with the township of Carlyle. “Oh, this is Carlyle, is it ; where then is Patea ?” asked the gentleman in search of information for the Government. The existence of the Patea river, Patea district, and Carlyle township having been duly explained, the Commissioner departed and joined his companions for the journey onward. The report of this flying Commission on the Carlyle branch line to the port is anxiously expected. —Wanganui Herald.