Fireworks Display At Otago's Centennial

Chronicle (Levin), 1 March 1948, Page 7

Fireworks Display At Otago's Centennial

Press Ansociatio~hJ

(Per

1j u-in jjel). Fiery brilliance sehsationally transformed the sombre setlmg of liancock Park, Lt. Kinda, iiito a vvonderiand oi blazing colour on Waturday night 1111011 tlie Centennial lireworks disxilay enthrallcd a crovi d of countless tliousands. This magiiiiicent display, presented on a lavisli scaie ne\er before witnessed in Xew Zealaml, piovided a climax to carnival week beyond tke_expectations Qf tlie niost optimistic. "For 70 miuutes from the time that Mr. C. I). Broek waved his magic wand at 8.45 p.m., the vast cauoxiy of a velvet sky ivas spjashed with tlie hercest and inost delicate of colours. Hensation followed sensatiou from the breath-takiiig. uioment wheii, witliout warniiig, tne first tlirilliug barragc of maroons was released by Mr. "Arthur Barnett, chair man of tlie lireworks committe-e, until the graud fiuale as 300 speciai rookets roared their lnessage of farewell. fcliuce early iuorning the higlnvays from Invqrcargill, Ceutral Otgao, Timaru and beyond, had teemed with

traiiic. The destination was Dunedin, the attraction the iircworks. Crowds had congrega'ted at liancock Park be fore niidday and during the afteriioon tlie multitude increased. Lavoured by (ine weather and a consideruto wind which carried the sinoke out to sea tnvay from the spectators, the perl'orni anee was a suecess in cvery detail. Tliere was not oue damp squib in tlu vvhole box. Even old Vulcan himsell must have marvelled at each tremend ous fiery cataclysin., Variety marked tlie entire disjilay and its novelty was a delightful feature.,The niost impressive of all the set pieees was a coneeption of a naval engagemeiit styled 111 the progranuue as the Battle of Matapan. Glovving silhouettes of the op])osing battleships were separated by a realistic sea. ' ' Ghells ' ' were lired from dach «hix> in turn and in due time direct liits were apparently registered. A11 added toueli of realism was lent to the setting when fires appeared to break out on the vessels foilowing the liring of salvoes. The vvhole device was a masterpiece of j)vrotechnic art. Second onlv in xiopulai esteem were iin-e portraits of tlie King and (^ueen: For a period of fully two minutes the.se pictures glowed in the sky. Xo vivid colours were used and the simple dignity of the bnght whitc Jights in which Ihe Royal features were so accurately traced, was morielfeetive than any colour seheme could possibly have been. ' . It was fitting that a liuge set picce should depict the arrivaJ 011 the ships Philip Laing and Jolin Wickliffe. The date — April 15, 1848 — was priiit-ed in lettei'8 of fire below the seene.