A LIGHTNING-FOOTED COMMISSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5950, 22 March 1880, Page 5

A LIGHTNING-FOOTED COMMISSION.

Whatever fault.saya thp Wellington Post, may be found with the newly appointed Bailway Commissioners, it cannot bo said that they are deficient in expedition . when they are-engaged in examining the country through which it is proposed lines of railway shall be carried. In fact, if these gentlemen go on in •the same steeplechase style ; that, they have, been exhibiting up to the present, the record of their travels; if ever it comes to be written, will read very much like the adventures of Jules Yeme’s hero in his novel of "Bound the World in 80 days.” They started from' Wellington on Wednesday Wt, and returned on Sunday evening. In that brief space of time they travelled over about 120 miles of country, and were supposed to have carefully examined it with a view of deciding not only whether it would be likely to be profitable to open it dp by railway communication, but also to settle the conflicting claims of rival routes. From Wellington they went to Featherston by train; thence a special coach conveyed the five Commissioners, their two shorthand writers, and their private secretary, at breakneck speed to Masterton. Hext morning they must have been up betinaes, and they appear to have started on their wild woor with a "whoop!” and a hallo!’* to Woodville, frightening the peaceful inhabitants of the country districts out or their propriety, as they flashed through the townships like,a; meteor. Posatblt they .gave thpso simple* minded people.,-the idea_ that coaoh. hones. Commissioners, ihorfcbftpd voters, »nd soc-

retary, were all a phantasmagoria of Evil One, sent to vex their innoeept spirits, like tho “ Phantom Horsemen,” which occi--Bionally terrify the peasantry of the Blank' Forest in Germany. From Woodville tpev party scampered across to Palmerston, and thence took train to Foxton. ' We are informed that hero two or three Of the Com-; musionors actually found time to go some distance up the riyer in a boat—for what purpose is 1 not: very clear—and were subsequently picked 'np iby the- coach/ They' arrived in Wellington on Sunday, os already stated, aftee a journey of unexamplea rapidity, Somewhat exhausted by thevelocity of their movements, but, so far as we could ascertain, perfectly soundi in wind and limb. Now all this'may be; and undoubtedly is, very credible as an equestrian or vehicular performance against time, but wo question whether the Commissioners are likely to get much information that is likely to be of use ■to them in their deliberations by this hurrysourry galloping across country. We would also seriously warn them against perilling their valuable lives by these break-neck performances. The country might survive their loss, perhaps, os Boyal Commissioners, but they are individually very estimable private citizens, and on that account we - should be sorry to 1 see anything happen to them.