SEEING THE OLD YEAR OUT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1771, 3 January 1918, Page 3

SEEING THE OLD YEAR OUT.

The birth of 1918 was celebrated locally in various ways. The Borough Band played the old year out and the New Yaer in harmoniously. An improvised band, in order to give the faithful borough bandsmen breathing time, provided a jangling discord on tin cans, etc. There was plenty of noise. ■ Several bands of young fellows celebrated the-passing of the old year in the usual idiotic custom by removing gates, from their hinges and depositing them in out-of-the-way-places. Vehicles were removed from private properties, and other foolish pranks indulged in. One hand of merry-makers pro-vided-Iheraselvcs with a small keg of beer and looked up their friends, and the latter had to come out. At one house, where tjie inmate refused to show himself, the window was opened and one of the party unceremoniously dropped through and dcr posited among the furniture, much jo the alarm of; the inmates. No serious damage to property was done, even if the roysterers did carry their pranks a little too far. A band of. choristers serenaded a number of householders.

The police had a strenuous time in keeping in touch with the various merrymakers in. order to prevent any serious happenings, but report (hut on the whole the crowd was fairly orderly.

Several complaints have reached us in reference to the removal of gates, etc., and one .resident intends to place a grievance in the hands of the police for investigation,