Between the jockeys' strike and its sequel--the tramways dispute--the railwaymen came out, on account of dissatisfaction with their conditions. The strike commenced on April 27th, and the dispute threatened to be a most serious affair. It lasted for less than a week, the men returning to duty on May 2nd. If the dispute had not been thus speedily settled, the results, both economic and commercial, would have been disastrous to the community. This event took place when the Prince of Wales had just commenced his tour of New Zealand. He was then at Rotorua, but the men on the train agreed to bring the Royal visitor back to Auckland. This unscheduled hold-up of the tour was taken in a philosophic spirit by His Royal Highness. The European War, which fell on the world with such suddenness, soon became felt on this side of the globe. The report at first brought consternation to New Zealanders, with which was mingled the usual display of patriotic ardour. Bands of youths and young men paraded Queen Street, singing patriotic songs and demonstrating. To many business people the idea of war spelt ruin, and many of them immediately curtailed their staffs. Within a very short time--a fortnight at most--these extreme expressions of the public mind settled down, and the true feelings of the community found vent. The New Zealand Government at once offered Great Britain its assistance, which was as speedily accepted. On August 10th the first portion of Auckland volunteers for overseas service left for Wellington, to join the other units which formed the advance party of the N.Z.E.F. for the Samoan expedition. From this onwards there were regular concentrations of men for the forces, and at intervals the troops left for the seat of war. The embarkations were usually made from Wellington, but in the earlier days of the war the troops sometimes left from other ports, including Auckland. One of the most memorable send-offs to outgoing troops took place on September 23rd, 1914, when 2000 soldiers paraded at the Auckland Domain, and were ceremonially farewelled by the citizens, the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) and the Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr, C.M.G.) addressing the men. A similar event took place on the occasion of the embarkation of the Second Maori Reinforcements, on 17th September, 1915. This departure was an impressive spectacle, as the older Maoris and their women-folk carried out the ceremony in traditional manner. The Mayor (Mr. J. H. Gunson) presided at the ceremony, which took place outside the Town Hall. In the first months of the war a training camp for local recruits was located at Epsom, but as the Dominion's military organisation developed, this camp was abandoned, and the Auckland recruits went direct to Trentham or one of the other concentration camps. The only permanent camp in the Auckland district was at Narrow Neck, Devonport, where the Maoris and recruits from the South Seas underwent their course of training.