HALF A MILLION PEOPLE ACCLAIM HISTORIC CEREMONY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 178, 21 March 1932, Page 5

HALF A MILLION PEOPLE ACCLAIM HISTORIC CEREMONY

brilliant weather for carnival ' : ' — rr-Ti — r 1 MKiH'f ftlAKI ILLUMlNATED SHlPS AT NlGHT MAKE IMPRESSIVE SPECTACLE Received. March 20, 5.5 p.m. SYDNEY, Sunday. Half a million people, who had a close-up view of the Hai'bour Bridge opening pageant, yestj-.rday, have something tangible to rememher, thanks to the brilliant sunny day. The carnival spirit was everywhere. Thrills on land and water and in the air, kept the vast, surging crowds k:yed up day and night. The depression was forgotten hy the huge, well-dressed and Avttl-behaved crowd which thi:onged all vantage points. Thousands of people, p?yched on roofs and parapets, saw a marvellous spectacle when the procession of floats, barids, soldiers white-clothed school children and boy scouts crossed the great bridge from south to north.

Charming tableaux depicting figures of history, sport, graceful surf girls, and gallant surf men in costlime, arid full blooded aboriginals, offered a sharp contrast in character. There were also old-time coaches, and ancient hig'h-wheeleld hicyeles; jn fact everything symbolical of the old and the new seems to have been represented in this colourful and diversified procession, while various arms of the defence forces, war veterans and scores of bands stirred the public to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. Overhead, naval and air force 'planes and private machines cut capers, flew in formation and did everything possible, seemingly, to attract the attention of the vast sea of people beneath, but so thick and fast came the novel scenes on the bridge and the harbour that it was physically hnpossible for the people to pay much heed to what was going on above their heads. Nothing so impressive had ever been seen in Sydney, or probably elsewhere in the world, as yesterday's procession of large liners in the narrow confines of the harbour. Gaily bedecked and festooned vessels of 12,000 tons and upward, at a given signal, passed beneath the bridge at a snail's pace, one behind the other in a long line, to their anchorages far beyond, each sounding its siren continuously, making a medley of noise as if proudly acclaiming the great event. Thousands Cross Bridge When the official speeches were over, the people were permitted to cross the bridge. What an amazing sight it was when the crowd rushed in their tens of thousands to view the vast panorama from the dizzy height of the bridge. During the whole afternoon it was a moving mass of people. At midnight on Saturday, the bridge was thrown open to trams, trains and vehicular traffic for the first time. A special electric train loaded with passengers at 10/- a head, made the initial trip during the afternoon. The night festivities were worthy of the occasion, and it is estimated that 750,000 people gathered on both sides of the harbour and watclied the fire-works. A spectacular searchlight display by the ships of the Australian Navy and the New Zealand cruiser Diomede, moored on opposite sid§s of the harbour, illuminated the bridge its steel outline standing out in bold relief against the cloudless moonlight, the sky making an entrancing picture in silver and grey. Climax at Night The climax to a wonderful setting was when the whole of the warships and the large liners were simultaneouslv illuminated, hursting into a blaze of light, revealing their majestic outlines in shimmering gold. Air Commodore Kingsford Smith supplied thrills aloft by flying an illuminated aeroplane, and every now and then discharging rockets and creating meteors. The searehlights at intervals focussed on his machine. At least four deaths are directly aue to the bridge carnival. One man was killed by a motor lorry during the procession. Three people had heart, failure in the crowded streets, which ended fatally. People, chiefly women and girls, fainted in the dense crowds in the blazing sun and exposed positions at an alarming rate. At least 2500 were treated by ambulance men in the afternoon in the city area.