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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 5, Issue 9 (April 1, 1931)

The Final Discovery

The Final Discovery.

A reference to the rota at the railway station gave him the names of the staff on platform duty, and he sought out one of those working the train by which the trunk had arrived. As expected, this man was communicative. He remembered the big trunk arriving by the express from the south; it was stored in the cloakroom that night and had been taken away next day. He understood it belonged to an American gentleman who went away by the “Takapuna.” He was not on duty for the steamer train, as the shifts did not change till 3 p.m., but he happened to be at the station early that day and saw the trunk being loaded into the truck just before the train left. The early shift porters who had loaded the steamer van could not remember anything. There was always a rush at the steamer train, they said, and it took them all their time to get the luggage stowed. There were often numbers of large packages, like commercial travellers'
A Modern Railway Goods Shed. Interior of the Paddington Goods Station, G.W. Railway, London, England.

A Modern Railway Goods Shed.
Interior of the Paddington Goods Station, G.W. Railway, London, England.

sample cases, so that they could not recall any one in particular. A little further enquiry from a selected one of the porters concerned uncovered the cab driver, and the cab driver uncovered Joe. A telegram to Onehunga did the rest.

When Mr. Bolton was informed of the whereabouts of his trunk he preferred to take no further chances with this elusive package, and asked that it be held at Auckland till his arrival there on his way to Sydney. After listening to Joe's expressions of contrition, he asked that his lapse might be overlooked, as his original intention was good. The shipping reporter at Auckland scented a story, and interviewed Mr. Bolton, who gave him some particulars of his movements in New Zealand. He stated that he had enjoyed his visit thoroughly, and felt greatly improved in health. When he returned to London, however, he would be able to correct the views of the outfitters relative to Saratoga trunks. His experience was that a trunk of that description could easily be lost, and even a very inexpert luggage thief would apparently have no difficulty in getting away with it unobserved.