QUITE A ROMANCE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2219, 4 August 1914, Page 4

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 /hies. When in 1908 the works passed into the' hands of the Corporation, Mr. Campbell retained tho position in which he had proved himself to he a steady,. painsI taking, and capablo electrical engineer. About six weeks ago Mr. Campbell found that he had occasion to ask the Corporation's : indulgence iii- the matter of granting him six months' leave of absence. Through the death of . his father, the late Colonel Sir Alexander Campbell, of Kirkleridc, 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 tho way, a cousin of Mr. G. F. Q. Campbell, Secretury 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 tho younger son), he decided to leave the Old Country altogether, and work for his living how and where he could. He. was at T3aden (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 finite good- <mos. said he was afraid he had nothing'good enough.to offer bin; 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-curt from the station to Waterloo Quay, where he worked for about a week;

When Mrl 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 me I". '

"Well, if that's the case,", retorted. Mr. Lauchlan, "1 wish you would got 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 fare-

well, but the baronet said that he ha; not the slightest,intention of remaining in Scotland, title or no title. He Lac been perfectly happy /in Wellingtorihappy at his work, and happy jogging round in his motor-car at week-ends and rated the aristocratic life of Scot land i as a, deal less enjoyable than hi; lot here. It should be mentioned that Mr Campbell had become the heir to th baronetcy before he came to New Zealand, owing to the deatli of Iris elder brother in the South African campaign.