A BRIGHT AND NOISY "FIFTH"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 36, 5 November 1937, Page 4

A BRIGHT AND NOISY "FIFTH"

Hastings All Ready for Guy Fawkes' Celebrations FIREWORKS IN DEMAND Indications definitely point to a bigger, brighter and noisier celebration Of Guy Eawkes' Day this evening in Hastings than has been the case for many years. Retailers report phenomenal saies of craekers and fireworks arid also that their stocks, though considerably greater than in formei years, were almost depleted by this morning when the final rush set in. "There was a far greater -variety of fireworks available this year afid this was fully realised by parents and youngsters who Wiseiy made their main seleetions early," said one retailer. "Praetieally the whole of the fireworks on sale this year are of British manufacture, though the crackers are Chinese made. Remarkable ingenuity has been shown in. the fireworks and special attention has been paid to effects. . It is obvious that manufacturers have been striving to attain the speetacular and unquestionably they have succeeded. " An interesting feature of the sale of fireworks this year is the standardisation of prices. Every item is distinetly marked with the retail price and care has been taken to mark quite elearly whether the fireworks are tq be held in the hancl or not. The specific enjoyment of fireworks and crackers is short-lived, but it is exCiting and the "youngsters have a great time while the fun is on— -and not only the youngsters. There is ' a greater variety available this year and buyers are apparently to be educated to discriminate in their choice of noise and spark-making contraptions. The demand was symptomatxc of the times, in the . opinion of one shop* keeper. The greater freedom of money he considered as one of the chief reasons. The children had followed the example yf their parents And when they had a sixpence to spare they made no attempt to save it but went straight off and bought what they wanted, Anotber retailer said the demand for fireworks and crackers this year had been spontaneously early and quite unprecedented. More than three-quarters of his stocks were sold early this week and he did not antieipate having to hold any for the New Year. . , One of the largest general stores in New Zealand is stated to have imported 40,000 dozen fireworks for its 18 branches, and another chain store concern cstimates that stocks are 30 per cent. greater than last year, in anticipation of the noisiest and most profit* able Guy Eawkes ' Day for years. Though there. has been no eomprehensive organised celebration there

will be a big number of bonfires lit this evening, for almost every vacant section in Hastings has been *'commandeered" for the occasion and a large number of private parties have been arranged, the idea being to encourage the children to assemble round the bottfire and set off their fireworks in company with other children and frieiids in the neighbourhood under the supervision of the parents. Anything that will burn is in big demand to-day and a csLnvass by the youngsters of houses in many instances, has unearthed an adequate supply of fuel to ensure a long night of first-rate fun and excitement. ,