LYTTELTON NEWS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18889, 3 January 1927, Page 15

LYTTELTON NEWS.

Seamen's Institute. A very enjoyable social, in place of ihe usual weekly concert, was held on Thursday evening at the Seamen's Institute. A. pleasant ©veiling was spent in games and competitions, interspersed with songs pleasingly sung by Mrs Mintey and Mr Claire, Prizes were awarded to those successful in the competitions, and ditty bags were distributed to the men. Mesdames Clon and Gaunson assisted with the supper, and after the superintendent had wished all a ha-ppy and prosperous New \ear, the gathering terminated with the singing oi "Auld Lang Syne." Over twenty men were present. The Holidays. With the warm weather on Saturday, Lyttelton and its nearby bays were at thoir best, and despite numerous counter-attrac-tions about 3000 people visited the Port. Diamond Harbour, where a gala was being held, attracted nearly 2000, most of the remainder proceeding to Corsair Bay. A light shower of warm, rain between four and hvo o'clock drove most of the holiday-makers home in a hurry. The railway staff at Lyttelton was called upon to deal with a big rush, but was able to deal with it lairly promptly. . New Tear's Eve at Lyttelton. New Year's Eve passed fairly quietly at Lyttelton, there being very little shipping in port. Although the streets were well thronged in the earlier'part of the evening, the crowd diminished considerably before midnight. The New Year was ushered in with plenty of fireworks, and the blowing of steamers' sirens and the ringing of bells. Br the time the New Year was half an hour old the streets were almost deserted. Harbour Light Theatre. There was a full house at the Harbour Light Theatre on Saturday night, when "The Palm Boach Girl," starring Bebe Daniels, was screened, with a good supporting programme. The reappearance of The Campbells, concortina duo, was most welcome, and the audience was delighted with their offering. , . Thore will be a complete change of programme to-day, with a matinee at 3 p.m. The chief attraction is "The Air Hawk, » thriU' ing drama of the skies, featuring A 1 Wilson, the "stunt" aviator. The supporting programme will include a comedy and gazette. To-morrow . afternoon and evening Reckless Romance," a comedy feature starring I Harry Myers and Wanda Hawley, will be I screened, together with n gazette, comedy, and the fifth of the "Fighting Blood scries Gala at Diamond Harbour. To raise the necessary funds for the lay ing out of courts, the newly-formed Dia mond Harbour Tennis Club organised a gait to be held on Boxing Day. The inclemencj of the weather on that day, however, com pelled a postponement, aud the gala wni accordingly held on Saturday. Two steameri and a fleet of launches Were called upon t( deal with the large crowd which made Dia mond Harbour their, rendezvous for the day The weather was at its beßt —those who de sired could sit in the full warmth of th( sun in the shelter of the bay itself, whili those who preferred the cool breeze coult find numerous picnicking sites on the seawart side of the spur. The chief attraction wag the numcroui stalls and side-shows —to be candid there wai not much else, except the natural attraction! of the Bay Itself —but the stalls and side shows were an entertainment in themselves and they \ did a thriving business all througl the day. The following were the stall-hold ers: —Produce stall, Mrs J. Hunter, Mis E. Hunter; ice cream and tobacco, Mosdame C. Cook, D. Comer. H. Atkinson, Miss M Cook; darts, Messrs Ij. Lewis and Pit caithly; coconut shy, Messrs C. Brown, S Gower, Master Colin Atfinson; lucky squares Messrs Ross, Curtis, and B. Taylor; red w-hite and blue competition, Mr H. Atkinson sheep-guessing, Mr H. H. Gardiner; sweet stall Mrs E. 0. Cooper, Mrs F. Schencke refreshments, Mrs E. R. Curtis, Misses » Curtis, L. Flanagan, M. Perham, It. Bund} A. Gardiner, G. Bowring, and Mr T. Archei It is the intention of the Gala Committe to continue the gala to-day.