QUITE A ROMANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 186, 6 August 1914, Page 8

QUITE A ROMANCE.

BARONET IN THE CORPORATION EMPLOY. As long ago as 1906, before the Wellington Corporation took over the electric lighting from the New Zealand Electrical Syndicate, a Mr J. A. C. Campbell was engaged first as a street linesman, and then in the test room, and subsequently as an inspector of installations and street lines. When in 1908 tbe works passed into the lia::ds of the Corporation, Mr Campbc.l retained the position in which he had proved himself to be a steady, painstaking and capable electrical engineer. About six weeks ago Mr Campbell found that he had occasion to ask the Corporation's indulgence in the matter of granting him six months' leave of absence. Through the death of his father, the late Colonel Sir Alexander Campbell, of Kirkleride, Scotland, he has succeeded to a baronetcy and large estates in Scotland, which, in response to a letter from the family lawyer, he has now gone home to claim. The full name of the.new baronet is Sir John Alexander Coldstream Campbell, who is, by the way, a cousin of Mr G. F. C. Campbell, Secretary to the Treasury. It appears that many years ago the late Sir Alexander Campbell married a second time, and as the altered conditions at home did not suit the present baronet (then the younger son), he decided to leave the Old Country, altogether, and work for his living how and where he could. He was at Baden (in Germany) for a time, and was also in France, in which .places he studied electrical work. Later he went to America, and went in for ranching in California. Finding that the life did not suit him, he ventured across the Pacific, and arriving in Wellington, applied for work to Mr George Lauchlan the Electric Syndicate's lines foreman. He produced his credentials, and Mr Lauchlan, seeing that they were quite good ones, said lie was afraid lie had nothing good enough to offer him. Still they were very busy at line work, and said that he could go on to that work if he felt so disposed. The offer was eagerly accepted, and the next morning ■he was cheerfully trundling a hand-cart from the station to Waterloo Quay, where he worked for about a week. When Mr Lauchlan inspected the work he saw at a glance it was exceedingly well done, and turned to ask the foreman who had done the job. "Oh, Gussy there; the kid-gloved chap you sent down to mc!" "Well, if that's the case," retorted Mr Lauchlan, "I wish you would get kid gloves and turn out work like that." A day or two later Mr Campbell was transferred to the test-room, and later on was made an inspector. After Sir John Campbell had told his tale, when getting leave of absence. Mr Lauchlan made to bid him a long farewell, but the baronet said that he had not the slightest intention of remaining in Scotland, title or no title. He had been perfectly happy in Wellington—/ happy at his work and happy jogging round in his motor-car at week-ends, and rated the aristocratic life of Scotland as a deal less enjoyable than his lot here. It should be mentioned that Mr Campbell had become the heir to the baronetcy before he came to New Zealand owing to the death of bis elder brother in the South African campaign.