FIREWORKS DISPLAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 113, 6 February 1919, Page 6

FIREWORKS DISPLAY

ON PEACE NIGHT. . One of the outstanding, spectacular features in connection with the peace celebrations will be tho display of fireworks which is to bo given on the night of Peace Day. In order that there will be no danger to property' from falling • Gparks, the committee which has tho work in hand is arranging to secure the services of a hulk, from which the pyrotechnics will be projected at a point about a quarter of a mile from the shore of Oriental Bay. . The hulk will be out of the way of all shipping,' whilst the' bay, with its fine parade and splendid terraces, will form a natural amphitheatre, ideal for such a display. I'he Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) says that the parade alone will accommodate between 20,000 and 30,000 people. A big section of the new footway (20ft. wide) has already been asphalted, and it is anticipated that the rest of it will be in order by the time peace is signed. The Mayor also suggested that the bandstand (situated in the crescent prepared for it), may be erected by that time. If so, there will be present all the elements fitting to the gala that will mark the historical event.

It is anticipated that there will be a big influx of people into Wellington for the.peace celebrations, as in the country the celebrations-will necessarily be more restricted, and those whose business it is to cater for visitors will do well to be prepared. It has been suggested that the fireworks display should be reserved for o/suitablo night—if unsuitable weather marks the day of tho celebrations— as it would be a Ipity to "let them off" before a meagre and possibly weatherbeaten audience. . Another suggestion is that, given the proper conditions, the Port Nicholson Yacht Club might arrange for a turn out of the yachts and motor-boats in some sort of picturesque order. ' PETONE CELEBRATIONS. ' A meeting of returned soldiers was to have been held in the Mayor's room, Municipal Buildings, Petone, hist evening, but owing to the 'poor attendance was adjourned for a week. His Worship the Mayor (My. J. W. M'Ewan), who presided, stated'that the meeting was called at the request of o public meeting held last week, in order that the men who had assisted to bring about peace might do their bit in the matter of peace celebrations. The suggestion was also made that Captain Hardhani, V.C., might be asked to tako charge of the Petone contingent assisting in tho peace celebrations. Captain Hardham had only returned on Saturday last, and it had not been possible to get into touchy with him, but he would write to him, and invito him to be present at the next meeting. The Mayor further stated that he thought the returned men might desire to assist in the direction of erecting in Petone a worthy memorial to the men who had "gone West." The suggestion was made that tho returned men's display should take the form of a military gymkhana. This suggestion will receive consideration at the next meeting of the men. A meeting of the members of the Petone United Christian Association, together with the choirmasters of the various churches, was held on Tuesday evening, to consider the form the religious part of the peace celebrations would tako, and it was eventually decided that there should be spt'ffial services in the various churches on Sunday morning, in tho afternoon the Sunday school children would meet about tho centre of the towi!, and march to the Recreation Ground, where a monster children's service would lie hold, a feature of tho service to be the singing of the children. In the evening, at the close of tho ordinary, serv.ee, a combined service would be held in the Grand Theatre.