NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 261, 3 November 1928, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

New Tramway Link. Built at a cost of £8000, a Hew double-track tramway link between Fanshawe and Patteson Streets is now ready for traffic. As a trial one car in every five on the City-Herne Bay route will travel via Fanshawe Street instead of via Victoria Street West. It is considered that the new arrangement will greatly facilitate tramway operations 011 the west side of the city. The work was carried out by the tramways department, and financed from a supplementary tramways loan. Armistice Day Silence. The King has expressed the wish that this year, when Armistice Day falls on Sunday, a service of commemoration should be held in every church. A special service will be held irt Westminster Abbey. The King will be present, and, at His Majesty's desire, the service will commence at 10.45 a.m. During that service a solemn silence will be observed at 11 o'clock. The New Zealand Government trusts that all Dominion Churches will make similar arrangements, and that those people not attending churches will also observe the silence. Ten Years Ago. To-day is the tenth anniversary of the taking of Le Quesnoy, on the Western front, by the *New Zealand Division. On November 3, 1918, the division advanced six miles and captured 2000 prisoners and 00 guns. The town was surrounded by COft double walls, and an intricate system of defences. After an intensive bombardment the New Zealand troops scaled the walla in face of heavy machine-gun fire. The first men up the scaling ladder were Second' Lieutenant L. C. L. Averill, a son of Archbishop Averill, and Second-Lieutenant H. W. Kerr. Young Dempsey's Teeth. At least one of the competitors who were eliminated in the military boxing tournament can regard November 1 as his unlucky day. He is one of the midgetweights, a youngster turning the scales at something under six and a-half stone, and but for the misfortune of breaking his teeth might have been among those to contest the finals to-day. The mishap, which occurred Within a few seconds of the opening bell, was unfortunate, for both the boy concerned and the spectators, as the bout which it caused to be stopped promised to be one of the best on the programme. Although disappointed, the youngster accepted his bad luck with a smile. A Veteran Albertlander. To-morrow is the 88th anniversary of the birthday of Mr. James Kirk, of Remuera, who is one of the oldest of the Albertland pioneers. Mr. Kirk, who was born in Sheffield, England, landed in Auckland from the sailing ship Greenjacket, way back in 1863, and he lived for many years in Maungaturoto, where he was a wellknown farmer. He subsequently moved to the Waikato, farming near Hamilton, and about 30 years ago he came to Auckland, where he kept a well-known boardinghouse. Mr. Kirk's five sons and two daughters have assembled for the "birthday celebrations, and an interesting gathering of relatives and friends will be seen. The eldest son is Mr. W. H. Kirk, of Hamilton, who is in his 08th year. Mr. Kirk is hale and hearty, and plays bowls regularly on the Remuera green. Domestic Cases in the Courts. The Society for the Protection of Women and Children, in its report for the past year, raises the question of greater privacy in the Courts when cases where women are concerned are being heard. "It has been ascertained," says the report, "that a great deal more privacy is observed in the Sydney courts, for no one is allowed in to hear affiliation or matrimonial cases except the parties concerned, women police accompanying the party, and one or more women justices, lawyers and magistrates. A letter has been received from the Chairman of the Stipendiary Magistrates' Association in Sydney by the president, with information on this matter, and also in regard to the position in the court of the witnesses' box, and it is proposed to approach the Law Association in Wellington and ask for its co-operation in getting the same arrangements made in New Zealand, as being more humane and beneficial to the people in trouble." Brothers in Distress. In one of the groups of idlers that gather at the Waitemata corner a little human comedy was played yesterday morning. A recent arrival from England was deploring his folly in coming to New Zealand, where he had not had work since he arrived. He mentioned that he had eaten nothing since the previous day, whereupon a sailor in the group, who was hinrself "on the beach," produced a shilling and offered the hungry one the choice of a drink or a meal. The immigrant voted for a meal, and, taking the shilling, headed for an eating-house, where a good square meal may be had for 9d. About half an hour later he approached the seaman again. "Thank you, matey," he said. "I feel like a man again. Here's your change." The seaman stared at the threepenny bit on the outstretched palm, and was too surprised to say anything but "Keep it. man, keep it." "Service Before Self." Mr. William Wallace, the veteran chairman of the Hospital Board, celebrates the anniversary of his birthday to-day. He is not yet within "cooee-ing" distance of the three score years and ten, although his long public service would almost lead people to believe that such was the case. For some time past Mr. Wallace, in his leisure time, has been reading the history of the Scottish clans. His admiration for the great Scottish patriot, Sir William Wallace, is unbounded, and when it is suggested that it is a pity that the title is extinct, Mr. Wallace replied with emphasis, as if to ward off an enemy: "I hope it will never come into existence again!" The greatest modern title in modern times should be, he says, "Service for one's fellow men, with no thought of reward." Olden Days in Khyber Pass. It is a far cry to the days when a'team of 24 bullocks was seen in Auckland, yet we are told by old residents that it was a common thing in the days of long ago. While a number of men were waiting in Khyber Pass Road at the erd of last week to let a tramcar pass, prior to their going up Park Road in a motor car, one of them told how, well over 50 years ago, he had got stuck in the mud with his team of bullocks almost at that very spot. That part of Auckland was about one of the muddiest anyone could imagine. He had twelve bullocks in the team at the time, and rather than leave his load behind he had gone all the way back to Onehunga and got another twelve bullocks. With the 24 bullocks hitched on, he managed to get his load to town. Men did not do that kind of work nowadays, and although he had reared a large family of boys, and had taught them to drive bullocks, every one of them now owned a motor car. The old bullock driver treated his team well, and the animals usually put their last ounce of strength into their work when urged to do so. A "Travelling" Tuna. Hori boarded the train at Kia Iwi the other morning with a sugar bag in hand on his way to Ratana. He placed the bag on the rack in a second class carriage. Presently a pakeha on the opposite seat noticed the bag moving and thought for a moment that it contained some small animal. He had not long to wait, for soon the head of a fanr-sized tuna popped out from a hole in the bag. The pakeha smiled, and Hori talked about the weather, the races, and the prospects of Bill Ratana at the forthcoming election. The tuna in the meantime also became interested, and slid down through the netting of the rack and flopped on the seat alongside Hori, greatly to the amusement of the passengers. "Py corry," said Hori, as he grabbed the tuna and reached for the sugar bag, "t'at te travelling tuna all right. I knock that nonsense out of him when I get him down to Ratana." The bag was securely tied, and the tuna behaved himself for i the remainder of the way to Wanganui.