A PRESSMAN'S EXPERIENCE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10997, 21 June 1901, Page 5

A PRESSMAN'S EXPERIENCE.

A member of the Wellington "Po3t"" staff ..bad personal evidence that, there were detectives abroad on Tuesday. While endeavouring to get through the lines in Cuba street just before the Royal carriage came along, be was taken by each arm by two strangers, who were much larger men than himself, and asked his 4 business in a mysterious whisper. Thanks to the courtesy of the Minister of Railways and the foresight of ihe Journalists' Institute, the pressman was able to produce passjs that proved an "Open-sesame," and then the press" and the police fraternised for a brief space of time, the "Post"' man taking advantage of the opportunity to interview the strangers. They had been with the Duke throughout his colonial tour, and were, therefore, primed with interesting observations. During the conversation the cheers greeting the passage of the Royal party alone Lower Cuba . street could be heard rolling in growincr volume. "That's good cheering,* observed one of the members" of the Secret .Service, "and compares' well with the Australian cheers-"' . Asked how the appearance of the city and tire reception compared *with .those of Melbourne and the stranger said that in comparison Wellington has made a very fine show, and the people were as orderly as the beefc of them. 'Yes," he added, looking up Cuba street, "this is a "good show." As the mounted riflemen went- by, both strangera were lmoressed with the look of both horses and men, and remarked that New Zealand seemed to have, nlenty of likely-look-ing men left for South . African service. Bat when the Royal visitors came within view of these emissaries of safety, they had "roving eyes only for what was going on about the carriage carrying the Duke and Duchess. ; And,when, the carriasra had passed by, the detectives marched off a abort-distance "behind.