TOUR IN A TAXI

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22820, 30 August 1937, Page 10

TOUR IN A TAXI

AUCKLANDERS IN ENGLAND THOUSAND MILES COVERED LONDON, Aupnst 27 Two residents of Auckland who are on a holiday in England, Mr. and Mrs. George Runciman, told a London taxi driver to drivo them round town. Now, after a week they are gathering sea shells at John o' Groats, with the taximeter still ticking. This causes tho native Scots to gaze in amazement. Mr. Runciman, after touring England in tho taxi, decided to see John o' Groats, from where his grandmother emigrated. The taxi has covered 1000 miles. Tho driver admits ho is homesick. Tho two Aucklanders mentioned in the cablegram are members of a wellknown Papatoetoo and Pukokohe family. Mr. Runcim&n's grand-undo was ono of the pioneers of the Runciman district' near Pukekoho and the family name was adopted •by tho authorities to identify the district in the days of its early settlement. "In one of his recent letters to mo George mentioned he was contemplating the trip referred to in the cablegram," said Miss Runciman, of Papatoetoe, yesterday. She is a sister of Mr. Runciman. She said that Mr. and Mrs. Runciman, who are accompanied by thoir two daughters, sailed for England, via Australia, on the Awatea last April. They had completed a tour of the Continent prior to starting out on their long journey to John o' Groats where Mr. Runciman's grandmother was bom. According to their plans tho family would bo sailing for New Zealand on October 9 and were due to arrive homo toward tho end of November. Mr. Runciman, who is 64 years of age, is making his second trip to tho Old Country within a period of six years. Ho is a retired farmer, and resides at Papatoetoo.