STORY OF A DRESS-SUIT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8327, 19 December 1905, Page 3

STORY OF A DRESS-SUIT.

How the Oracle was Worked

How the Premier's name can be used for the annihilation of red tape was, some time ago, amusingly illustrated. A clerk in a

wholesale house up country had received and accepted an invitation to a private dance. The evening arrived, and so did the clerk's dress-suit from Wellington by the goods train. When the parcel was enquired for, the clerk was informed, to his dismay, that as it was after five o'clock, the vans were locked up, and there could be no delivery before next morning. Almost in tears with disappointment, the clerk confided his sorrows to a fellow scribe who had the advantage of a long experience in all kinds of commercial and political navigation. " Leave the business to me. I'll settle that red-tape presently," said the sympathising listener. Then he went to the telephone and rang up the stationmaster. "That's a bad job about young Jones," he said. " Why ? Who is he ? What's the matter ?" -asked the official. " Well, he belongs to our office, and he meant to be present on the platform at the Premier's meeting, but he won't be able to go.' " What have I got to do with that?" "Oh! not much; only you have a parcel containing his clothes in your goods van and he can't get them. The Premier will be expecting him, and Jones will have to explain the cause of his absence." "Oh! if that is the case, tell Mm to come along at seven o'clock. He'll get the parcel all right," was the prompt and conciliatory reply. Needless to say, Jones in his best " togs " was absent from the stage, but he figured conspicuously at the ball that even-