German “Red Tape."

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVLI, Issue 10, 6 September 1911, Page 12

German “Red Tape."

People w’ho think that in some experience of their own they have come in contact with an instance of the extreme in “red tape’’ will, we imagine, concede without hesitation precedence to the following: A German workman, going home, caught sight of a man lying on the railway, evidently with the intention of committing suicide. A train was approaching, so if the man was to be saved, immediate action was necessary. The workman took it. Waving a handkerchief to stop the train, he flung down his tools, climbed a fence, rushed along the line, and pulled the would-be suicide out of danger. Then, no doubt congratulating liiinself on having performed a meritorious action, he went home. A day or two afterwards he received a letter from the police. The envelope did not enclose a medal or testimonial to his courage and cool-headedness, or even a few words of thanks. What it did cover was a schedule of fines to which lie had made himself liable:-—Damaging fence 'by climbing over it, 3 marks; trespassing on railway, 4 marks; stopping express train without first communicating with stationmaster or signalman, 10 marks; leaving bag of tools to danger of the public, 2 marks.