TURNING THE LEAF.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1014, 2 January 1911, Page 6

TURNING THE LEAF.

= ADVENT-OF 1911.SCENES IN WELLINGTON. The old year had a rousing farewell in Wellington and a joyous .welcomo was accorded its successor. During tho hours of daylight tfyere was little to distinguish Now Year's Eve from any other Saturday, but;as evening came on the promenading populace bccame seized of the spirit of the occasion. The . crowds were .rather less dense than on Christinas Eve, but even so in some places light-hearted revellers filled the streets from side to side. Trade as a whole was brisk, although in some, departments .there was obviously a falling away from tho volumo it attained .week earlier. Tho intent and eager search for appropriate gifts had largely given place to a simple seeking for enjoyment, and everywhere in the strolling crowd, easy-going,' good-natured revelry was the dominant note. The theatres and other places of public amusement were liberally patronised.

An Accident, The simple 1 discord, of toy trumpets was varied by . efforts that made some slight approach towards musical quality. Month organs and. accorde'ons were much in evidence, and here and there little parties passing . through the streets raised their voices' in song. The frequent speedy passage of motor-cars 1 and. tramcars lent a spice of adventurous danger to the promenading of; the festive throng,. and it may bo esteemed exceedingly fortunato that only one accident occurred, and that one iof minor importance. A man named Cirajno was knocked down in Willis Street by a passing car. Ho was removed to a chemist's shop near 'at hand, but soon afterwards was able to leave, apparently little the. worso for his mishap.

Saluting the Year. !' By 'eleven-o'clock a 'great many people bail turned homeward and as midnight approached .-theo concourse -in-the -main thoroiighfai'es rapidly; thinned! TJje comparative! quietude that fell as midnight approached was 'broken at ten minutes to the .'hour by a merry , clangour 'of bells:at-St..'Peter's Church. Knots" and groups'; of people.still- lingered, about the streets arid'- about five hundred- persons had,' assembled at the -Queen's in Customhouse; Quay: "litre ".the Central .Mission- Band Jiad'Vtaken post to play :somV: of " tho' airs which ■ time-honoured custom- has-associatedvwitli the passing of the year., ."Auld Lang Syne" was followed. by. "God- Savo the Ivuig." When the' Post. .Office plock struck the hour the. custoniary salute of whistles, bells, a cheering and singing . arose in .various quarters and united in'. one great volume of cheerful".sound. Simultaneously tho Morse lamps tin the harbour front twinkled a New Year, greeting to ships lying at: the'wharves.When; the din of the 'salute had died down the Mission. Band, at the . Statue, struck, up "The. Old Hundredth." VV'ti ' ' 1 ." An Open-Air Concert. The'birth of tho New Year found many, blithe i l evellers. still ! indisposed'to 'wend homeward^-and-.snngs'-and-joyous sounds infinitely less musical, aroso in various quarter?. A party of. about twenty members of "The Dollar. Princess" Company and others congregated on the .balcony of a hotel overlooking Lambton Quay and gave a 'New Year 'concert. The party responded .to' many ' demands'-! for,': encores from.'.a good-sizedi audience,- who,' at tho conclusion," thtoked ' their entertainers with'hearty cheers. ' ■ / . / :

; • , Watch-night., Services. - The custom of holding watch-night services is apparently passing 'out of favour in Wellington!. At midnight on Saturday most of 'the city "churches were dark and .dqserted. Exceptions to the general ruin : '{houghy were St., James's P.rjiibyterian _Church, Newtown, and tho 1 Weileyan ■CfuMUfe in TarAMld;Streot-ahd at Newtown. In each of'these midnight, services Were. held. At St. Peter's. Anglican Church there was no service, but the bells rang the old- year, out and the newyear. in. ; The Eev. W. Shirer," pastor. of' St. James's Church, told a reporter last eventhat he noted with regret tho growing neglect of .the watch-night service. At fit. James's Church these services had been regularly held for tiyenhy-two years without a break and Mr. Shirer stated that lie would', on''no account .bo a party to their discontinuance'. The custom of ushering in the New Year with religious . observance he regarded as an admirable 'one and he was perplexed : and ;at a'loss .to explain the. failure-of :many churches to'maintain it.

... The watch-night service was Tevivod after n period of neglect by the Methodists, under John'Wesley. It is known thatthei. early Christian .Fathers ' condemned in. unmeasured terms the Pagan rites which, iii many countries, - had been observed;'from time immemorial, at the ,beginning of the_vear._.: As a direct outcome of their a( tack on Paganism they directed that the first day-, of the year should be observed by the Christian Church as one of prayer, fasting, and humiliation. From this-Mr.--Shirer deems it probable that the. early Christians kept vigil in the opening moments of the incoming year. He contends, at all events, that the'custom of devotional observance at this period is one around which elus-. ter many venerable religious associations which should on no account be forgotten or ignored.

(By Tclczraph—Press Association.) f ' Christchurbh, January 1. ! The New Year was ushered in .as is customary by large crowds who thronged the city streets till after midnight. These were very orderly.'