AUKLAND OBSERVANCES

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 111, 13 May 1925, Page 8

AUKLAND OBSERVANCES

ALL WORK TO STOP. TEN MINUTES' QUIETNESS. SILENCE INTKUVAI. AT 1 P.M. Tn the absence of any definite request from the Government, the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. <i. liaildon, yotcrday called the City Council together for an informal meeting lo arrange for a fitting observance of mourning in the city on Thursday, the day of the Prime Minister's funeral. It was then decided to ask citizens to cease business activities at 1 p.m. for the remainder of the. day, and to observe a two minutes' interval of complete silence at 2 p.m. It was considered advisable to make this announcement in time to enable business people to comply with tlie request. At midnight, however, a telegram was received by Mr. Uaihlon from Sir Francis Bell, the Acting Premier, conveying the following message: "His Worship ' the Mayor of Auckland, —Ministers will be pleased if you would invite citizens to close their places of business on Thursday, 14th inst., on the occasion of the funeral of the late Mr. Massey. It I would also be appreciated if citizens were asked to cease all activities for ten minutes from 1 p.m. For your information all trains and telegraphs will cease operations for that time." The Mayor accordingly conferred this morning with the special committee appointed to make the various arrangements for to-morrow's observances. As a result it was decided to ask the citizens of Auckland to observe a complete cessation of activities for ten minutes, starting at 1 p.m., and to observe the first two minutes of this period as an interval of complete silence. The Mayor has arranged with the military authorities that a gun shall be fired from Albert Park at 1 p.m., and again at 1.10 p.m., at the conclusion of the period when activities are suspended. The drapers' shops will close at 12.30 p.m., and other retailers at 1 p.m., provision dealers and chemists reopening at 3 p.m. The Mayor also desires that citizens will, as far as is practicable, accede to the request of the Acting Prime Minister to observe tho whole of Thursday as a close day. The arrangements for the memorial services have been completed. Full services will be held both at the Town Hall and in the Albert Park, including addresses and suitable hymns. A number of meetings TiaVe . been arranged by other local bodies. Both the Devonport and Takapuna Borough Councils have arranged services, the former to be held in the Victoria Picture Theatre, Devonport, at 1.45 p.m. Manurewa, Papakura, and several other local authorities are arranging similar services. In addition to the services to be conducted in Auckland to-morrow afternoon in the Town Hall and Albert Park, many of the local churches will hold special" services. The Salvation Army will hold a combined meeting of .he various corps in the evening.