AUCKLAND STUDENTS’ “HUMOUR”

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 181, 2 May 1925, Page 6

AUCKLAND STUDENTS’ “HUMOUR”

A GRIM JOKE “IN EXTREMELY BAD TASTE” (BY TELEGB ABH—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Auckland, May 1. , University students, with an ,eve to advertising their comedy, “Tilly of Tamaki,” perpetrated rather a grim joke shortly after noon to-day, when they carried an imitation coffin from the University, via Anzac Avenue a*nd Queen Street, to the Civic Square site, where a form of burial service was performed over a “civil square corpse.” Heading the procession was a student in Mayorallike robes and chain of office, 'and by his-side was a colleague in gown aiiu mortar, suggestive of the town clerk’s official dress. Immediately behind this couple were four pall-bearers carrying a black box covered with a pall. A single wreath of chrysanthemums lay on top of the casket, on the sides of which was the inscription: “The Civic Square, erected 1926, died 1925.” The youths were grotesquely attired, the outstanding features of their garb being bard bowler hats, old “top” hat's, glaring blue tics, and yellow buttonholes. Most of the young men had paint on their faces. A brass band played the funeral music; at least, the time of it merited that description. Au invitation to “come to the funeral of Civic Square” was carried at the head of the procession, and by the time the civic square site was reached a very large crowd of citizens, mostly girls, had gathered. In the centre of the site at platform was erected, and the student in red robes and wig proceed<*l to harangue the crowd, calling for “sobs” and “weeping” from the other students. These were regulated by means of an amateur “stop-go” signal. Several students’ songs were sung, and then the procession returned to the University. “Although harmless in itself, the whole nffair was in extremely bad taste,” says the “Star.” “There was little humour /jout It, but no doubt the students’ talent in that direction has been mere or less exhausted in the production of ‘Tilly.’”