THE LUCKY SIX.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 22, 27 January 1928, Page 9

THE LUCKY SIX.

POLICE FOR SAMOA.

CONTINGENT SELECTED,

ALL YOUNG CONSTABLES,

Bound for Samoa, that lotus land of the South Pacific Seas where the fronds of palm trees wave and the surf croons on the reefs, six Auckland constables will set sail on Saturday by the Tofua to assist in upholding the nftijesty of the law in a truly delectable spot, where every aspect pleases.

The selected Auckland six—the lucky six, they are called—are Constables Callaghan, Shields (wharf police), Bagge, Hollis, Ijsmith and Young, six strapping six-footers, and, ?o far, single. The members of the contingent will wear white duck and helmets while in the tropics, and how long they are going to be there nobody seems to know.

This will be at least the third occasion that there has been a move to send a force4o Samoa. Away back in 1899, when the chiefs Malietoa and Mataafa fell out of fiiends, it was proposed to send >x force down, but although a mixed contingent—it was in the old volunteer days of Auckland —were actually paraded, provided with a sack apiece to put their belongings in, and liberally photographed, the rip did not materialise. In 1920 a police force was sent down which consisted of 30 men and two officers. It is an outing that is still fresh in the minds of some Aucklanders. "It was the best trip I ever had," said one of the 1920 force this morning. "There are neither traffic problems nor point duty necessary, and beautiful bananas and oranges grow on the trees. I did not 'run anybody in,' nor did I ever see anybody who looked as if he would like to be 'run in.' And as for the dusky belles down that way "

It was at this stage the narrator's wife came on the scene, and he switched over to talk of the drought that was afflicting Auckland at the moment.