NEW YEAR'S EVE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 1, 3 January 1939, Page 11

NEW YEAR'S EVE

GATHERING IN CITY

A QUIET AFTERNOON

MIDNIGHT FRIVOLITY

New Year's Eve celebrations in Wellington were noticeably quieter than in previous years. There was the customary noisy and happy' gathering in Post Office Square at midnight, but traffic, both pedestrian, and vehicular was much less than on other New Year's Eves. This was undoubtedly due to the fact that Saturday was a half-holiday and the improvement in the weather had allowed many people to spend the weekend away from the city; and as New Year's Eve was not a late shopping night, Wellington streets were practically deserted during the afternoon. Theatre-goers' thronged the pavements for about an hour before 8 o'clock, but there was another lull from then" until nearly 11 o'clock.

When theatrical performances ended the majority of the people remained in town and gradually made their way towards ( Post Office Square. The crowd was augmented by private parties who wanted to take part' ih the general merry-making. Many were wearing coloured paper nats and carrying trumpets or other means of'"making a noise. For those who had come unprepared an enterprising stall-holder with a stock of trumpets and. Party .hats had established himself at the intersection of Willis Street and Lambton Quay and did brisk business.

As the hands of the Post Office clock moved towards twelve their progress was watched by thousands of eyes, and the first stroke of the bells was greeted by a prolonged burst of cheering. Church bells and ships' sirens added to the noisy welcome given fb 1939.

After a minute or two spent in hand shaking, kissing, and impromptu toasts to 1939 the crowd divided into rings of people to sing "Auld Lang Syne." By quarter past twelve the people began to stream homewards, but at various points throughout the city small groups gathered to hold minor celebrations of their own. \ln Mercer Street people making for home met a man with an accordion. He announced that he could play any tune he was asked for and provided music for a dance on the footpath. The Scottish ,custom of first footing was indulged in by many people, and numbers of private parties and dances were continued into the small hours. The last "hours of 1938 were calm and fine, but celebrations in the open were interrupted by light rain which began to fall about half an hour after, midnight. '