BONFIRE AND FIREWORKS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 84, 6 November 1939, Page 5

BONFIRE AND FIREWORKS

GALA EVENING AT OHOPE

CHILDREN'S NIGHT OUT

J Red flames leaping from a thirtyloot bonfire, rockets soaring overhead, fireworks spouting jets of light, the Pipe Band playing monie a lively air, clowns acting the goat, generally for the edification of the crowd, all thev, together with the splutter and crackle of crackers, went to make the celebration of Guv Fawkes night at Ohope Beach, last Saturday, an outstanding success. Fully live hundred people attended and the general enthusiasm of the adults and the cxcitemen.t of the children made ic fairly safe to gamble that the • evening will become an annual one provided the same crowd of willing workers will undertake to promote it again in future. The beach could not be bettered from a public point of view and made a splendid background for a properly conducted display. Its popularity is further borne out by the number of people who made a point of attending., in spite of the shortness of notice.

Large Crowd Assembles. The crowd -had started to assemble at 7 p.m.—an hour before the time scheduled for tilt, lighting of the fire, which incidentally was a wellconstructed affair, liberally hung with used motor tyres covered with ti-tree, and crowned with the traditional Guy, who gazed forlornly down from a precarious perch of the top of the tripod. The bonfire excited cries of delight from the younger celebrants as it rapidly became enveloped in flames, though the intense heat drove the spectators back a distance of at least a hundred feet.

The Pipe Band (minus the kilt) then took a hand and to the edification of all present marched round the fire playing the well known airs which Whakalane is learning to appreciate so much. Their progress was made the more spectacular by the antics of a clown (Mr H. Bruce) and a hectic old woman with an umbrella (Mr G. Jackson) who attracted dozens of the small fry to the head of the band as they attempted to lead it. It all added to the fun and pipers received the hearty applause they deserved.

Spectacular Display. The fireworks supplied by the small group who organised the evening gave cfuite a spectacular display, and though they were not to be com pared with the remarkable polytechnic exhibition seen and enjoyed by Whakatnne residents at Mr L. Luke's farm for so many years, it was nevertheless something quite worth seeing, and from the remarks to be heard on all sides at its conclusion, was voted a great success.

The evening concluded at 9.30 p.m with a salvo of large rockets from the fireworks stand, after which all present joined in the singing of Auld Lang Syne round the remains of the fire. The promoters are particularly grateful to those who assisted in the building of the fire, Messrs D. McL. Wallace for the use of the loud speaker, the Pipe Band for its cooperation, Messrs Bruce and Jackson for their part in the programme, which also included the sketch 'Cutting O/T a Boy's Ilead,' and to those businessmen who subscribed to the fireworks fund.