Guy Fawkes Firing Still Survives The Years

Chronicle (Levin), 5 November 1948, Page 4

Guy Fawkes Firing Still Survives The Years

The late Gtiido Fawkes certainly started something with 1 his ambitious plan to prematurely dissolve Parliament, on ... November 5, some 300 years ago, by his attempt to blow up the Jj House of Parliament. * King- James I took a poor view of this attempt on his life and the lives of his Cabinet, and vented his wrath on the perpetrator who, together with many other high personages in England found to be involved in the plot, paid for his action with his life. . , : .

The good people of the British Isles were also deeply shocked at so drastic an expression of political difference, and from that day onwards have . annually observed the occasion by burning an effigy of Guido, or Guy Fawke's, who had been caught in the act of touching off the fuse connected to 36 barrels of gunpowder conveniently placed in the basements of the building. With the passage of the years, however, the burning of the guy has become more of a pleasant pastime among the children, ■ and the significance of the rite has gradually been lost. Local body by-laws have

also played A.. in curbing over entnijsi.'astic observances of the occdsion. In the interests of public' safety the indiscriminate throwing or letting off of fire works h,as rightly been discouraged by .thq. police and officialdom. According to information obtained from the Levin Borough CO'Uncil office, it is an offence under the^qi^opgh by-laws to ignite bonfire's, tar barre*s or firework's wlthout speciai permission from the town clerk, and they cannot be. lit less than 60 yards from a public or private street, or a public place. In private property the' safe distance has been placed at 30 feefc from. a building or fence.