OTAGO'S CENTENNIAL YEAR IS BORN

Chronicle (Levin), 6 January 1948, Page 5

OTAGO'S CENTENNIAL YEAR IS BORN

DUNEDIN, Jan. 2. Otago's centennial year was born as the docks struck midnight last night, and the wliole province was alrnost immediateiy plunge'd into a ronnd of celebrations, a galazy of major sporting even'ts, and a series of importaht Dominion and local conferenees. In some eases preparations have been under way for years, and the sig nificance of this partieular New Year perio'd is' nbt ldst oii the people of the provii'ice.' Interest in the year's events is not conffned to Otago. The eyes of the rest of New 2fealand are turned t o tlie soutli,; and the importanee of the oceasion has been recognised bv alrnost evei'y large organisation' in the eountry, with. "the result that Dunedin will be the £oca( point in the operations of bodies whose* interests range from vaudeville shotvs to the arts, from table tennis to yacht racing, and from floral decoration. to engineering. Almost .evei'y taste will be catered for in the wide range of sporting events and. entertainments to be pi'esented in the eity and its environs "during 194$. Almost every type of trade or profes*sion will be represented at conferenees and annual meetings wliich will be held in Dunedin. No matter wliat their interests, eitizens will fmd in the centennial year something outstandihg to . deliglit them, something . important to ; be learned about the first 100 years of the province, something progressive in the way of suggestions for the future.