THE WRONG ROUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20650, 23 August 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE WRONG ROUTE.

TELEPHONE LINE COMEDY*|Jf ——— DISMISSED MAN'S REVENGE. V , ; ; . • Joao Figo—in plain English, John Figg - —was discharged by the telephone com— ' pany in Brazil, for which he had beenworking as a linesman. The official reason for his dismissal was that ho was "at little weak for the work required." -.' < Unable to understand clearly that ha was no longer -<on the pay-roll, Figo secured a foreman's badge, and turned up a few -days later at the town of Bauru,'Js where he had heard the company. ' contemplated installing a new line.'" Figo formally advised the mayor of his intentions, and was given permission to work. He collected a gang of 30 men, borrowed tools, established camps, V cleared a right-of-way through the jungle ; and put up poles. " 'i Local merchants, kn'owing the ; tele- | phone company's credit was good, supplied his men with food, and everything went well until Figo sent a mini tq the company's stores for more t0015... ' Twenty-four hours later, alarmed telaplione officials visited the town, but "Figo J; had fled and his whereabouts were unknown until a company agent from an up- | country centre asked for instructions about 20 men who had arrived undet; Figo to build a new stretch of > • That ended Figo's operations. His-onlyi ; comment when arrested was, " Well, X ; had to work!" The line that he had.-builfc at Bauru was perfect, except that it« went the wrong way into an uninhabited region instead of. towards civilisation. V>S'