DEMOCRACY ON STILTS.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8122, 6 November 1894, Page 4

DEMOCRACY ON STILTS.

"Bohemian" in tfao Christchurch Press writes : On the arrival of the Te Aaau on Tuosday morning there was much ado on board. Tbo Customs oflicors boarded her, and demanded a muabor of passengers in ordor bo count heads ; hlio was supposed to bo over her regular complement. The muster was held, and tbo passengers paraded — not all, I beliovo — a— in full dress. And the Customs authorities went ashoro with long faces — the Te Anau was considerably shorb of her complemonb. The officers were naturally puzzled ab bbc invasion, Bub the explanation was very simple. The Hon. Johu M'Kenzio had applied at the Wellington oflico the day before for a J passage, and demanded a whole cabin J to himself. It was nob to bo oxpected bhab a Meenisfcer of tho Crown should herd with the canaille in a four-berth cabin ; thab bo mighty a personage should so humiliate himself as to groan in ooncerb with seasick cheap-trippera, Bub bhoro was no cabin to sparo for his Democrat, c Excellency. Hence the vexabious insbruobiona to tho Cum* tom». Meanwhile tho Honorable John, wo believe, waa accommodab d with on board " our navy," bho Hinomoft by tho " ViocAdmiral of the stttno,' 1 And tho company was doubtless much more to his Democratic taetey.