A FREE CIRCUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 67, 18 March 1916, Page 8

A FREE CIRCUS.

ELEPHANTS IN QUAY STREET. A HALF-HOUR RIOT. Auckland's horses, whose lives are a ceaseless progranune of work, feed, and rest, among no less disturbing surroundings than tramcars and automobiles, resent the introduction of elephants among the vehicular traffic. Small office boys, managers of shipping companies, firemen, and a host of other pedestrians in Quay Street had the lather unusual experience of seeing a dozen horses galloping along the street this morning, terrified at the approach of a troupe of elephants connected with a visiting circus. One elderly driver, in charge of a rather aged vehicle, had as his load a suite of furniture. The spirited "nag," spying an elephant passing, by with a load of "circus props," took to his heels" and made a line for the Ferries. The driver followed, passing questionable remarks about ir.enagerifcs in general, and elephants in particular , , and caused no little amusement to the onlookers. The elephants, evidently used to their position, walked quietly on, Ignoring the mere , horses. The next "sensation" was outside Robertson Bros.' office. A wagon was loading sacks of grain within the archway, when the horse 3 realised that something was "in the air." They turned their heads, and the sight of elephants each side prompted them to run. Out into the middle of Quay Street, with a driver quick after them, the horses rushed. Sacks* of grain were thrown to the pavement, and other horses took the hint, and gave their drivers a lively five minutes. By this time the office windows in Quay Street had all been pushed up, and a hundred heads protruded out to see the fun.

People on the sidewalk began to relate their experience with elephants. One man said he knew of a horse that fell dead when it saw an elephant. His pale looked at him, but said nothing. A youngster broke a"way from the maternal control, and made a bee-line for the middle of the impromptu circus. Tiie mother did not know -whether to faint or rush after the adventurer. SW chose the lesser evil, and dashed after the small boy. and after saving him from nothing more than a fright, administered a severe spanking, which seemed to amuse everyone other than the youngster. After half an hour had passed, the street presented an unusual appearance. It was a riot of elephants, horses, and angry drivers. The most unconcerned of all seemed thp elephants, who passed quietly on with their respective loads to the quieter surroundings of the circus grounds.