PREVALENT IN AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 186, 6 August 1914, Page 6

PREVALENT IN AUCKLAND.

SCENES IN THE STREETS. ENTHUSIASM EVERYWHERE. £500 OFFERED TOWARDS WAR FUND. When the announcement that war had been officially declared between England ami Germany was published in our second edition "yesterday, the pent-up feeling of the crowds which thronged the city streets pave way in frequent outbursts of enthusiasm. Aβ the evening wore on feeling beca-me more intensified, and groups of young men, waving Union ■Jacks, marched <up anil down Queen Street, cheering and singing nationaJ airs. Sometimes the crowd forming these processions swelled to a couple of thousand, and traflic in the main thoroughfares was frequently blocked. Interest mainly centred outside the newspaper offices. The "Star" has made arra-ngements for porting the latest information outside the olliee each evening, and last night each time a fresh message was posted a surging crowd blocked ShortlaJid Street. In fact, at 0 o'clock, when an announcement was posted that the New Zealand Government had decided to call for volunteers for active eervico, there was a remarkable scene. A crowd oi at least 1500 men, marching up Queen Street, reached Shortland Street corner, just ac a cheer from those waiting outside fohe "Star" Office greeted this last message. Immediately the crowd in Queen Street stampeded up fihortland Street, and the scene was one of wild enthrusiaem when those in a position to see called out the news to the surging hundreds who blocked the full width of the street. Flags were wildly waved, and the cheering was tremendous. In the theatres, restaurants, and other places where the public gathered, there were scenes of great enthusiasm. In one of the leading restaurants dinaer had not been completed when those present were moved to send up ringing cheers for the British flag. In a similar spirit ruf enthusiasm a crowd of young men climbed to the top of ci ninestoreyed building adjacent to Queen Street, and from that lofty vantage point sang national alre, and waved I'nion .lacks.

At the theatres the announcement of the latest war news, supplied by the "Star" Office, was received with wild At one of the -picture theatres, where naval and military subjects largely constituted the programme, the feeling was so intense that at the termination of one film dealing with naval pictures, the crowded audience rose and cheered continuously for quite five minutes.

Tli ere has been some talk of the establisliment of a patriotic war fund, and at a gathering of prominent citizens last night a well known sportsman, who prefers to figure as an anonvmotte donor offered to head a citizens' list, with a donation of £500.