NEW YEAR'S DAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1572, 2 January 1884, Page 3

NEW YEAR'S DAY.

On Now Year's Eve Mastcrton was all alive, The streets were tlivongcd with town and country residents, and tho shops did a roaring trade. From the Jony of the Club Hotel the VolunBand discoursed sweet music. I stand was the centre round which crowd mostly congregated, and it j was 'brilliantly illuminated by the Chinese lantorns which wore stretched from Mr Geo. Dixon's shop to the Hotel. Towards midnight was rather an anxious time, fireworks larrikinism being abundant, and the police being afraid of fire. Sergeant McArdle and his men were on the alert, and stonily repressed "larks with crackers anil It'iman candles," One offender having been run in as a caution, the others evacuated the centre of the town and tried to do a little mischief in tho outskirts Some of the tricks played were comparatively harmlest. A placard, for example, was affixed to tho door of the bank of NewZealand informing the public that this property was " for sale cheap." A similar notice on the other side of the street informed passers-by that Kennedy McDonald it Co. would sell M. Caselberg it Co.'s monster premises on the 25th inst. The most serious event, however, was the burning of the bathing sheds on the banks of the Waipoua. Shortly after daylight the two sheds used by a private club and the general public .. - were observed to be in flames, and before assistance could be given they were destroyed. This is a'scandalous affair, and we hope to see the Borough Council, the Cemetery Trust, 0:1 whose land the sheds were erected, and the Bathing Club, offer substantial rewards for the discovery of the perpetrators of this outrage. It was evident from an after inspection of the ground that hay had been carried across to the sheds for the purpose of setting them on fire. One pleasing feature of the New Year was the carol singing. Two sets of singers, one representing the Church of England choir and the other hailing from the Wesloyau congregation, discoursed sweet music to the drowsy dwellers in many houses. NewYear's Day broke fresh and fair, and all looked forward with certainty to a splendid holiday, excepting some who had observed the watery sunset of the preceding evening. At 10 a.m. the directors of the CALEDONIAN SPORTS assembled and went down to the grounds, where all was in readiness for the' events of the day, The booths were up, the ring formed, the tents pitched, and half an hour before the programme was to be commenced some two or three hundred visitors were on ibe ground. Just then a heavy shower of rain came down and drove one and all under canvass, .For about an hour successive and continuous showers, accompanied by, thunder, kept everybody under whatever shelter was obtainable. The question of" to be or not to bo" was then raised. The * privilege holders were disheartened, and desired a postponement, Many of the visitors were wet through and were anxious to get home. The President decided to postpone the aports till 12.30 p.m., and if the weather was then unfavorable, to further adjourn them. At 12.30 it rained cats and dogs, and 'it was agreed to hold them to-day. When everybody had cleared off the ground, tho woathcr broke and a glorious afternoon succeeded the inglorious morning, The postponement of the sports was the more to be regretted as a larger number of competitors were present than on any previous occasion, and with ordinary weather the gathering would have been a brillaut success. THE PRESBYTERIAN PICNIC. ■ Every possible preparation .was made to secure the success of this auniversary,.and the only adverse factor was the weather. Early in tho morning loads of provisions and swarms of juveniles were conveyed to the picturesque paddock on the Upper Plain, kindly lent by Mrs Yates, Tents were pitched and games initiated, when , the rain commenced to fall, aud till J long after.midday the children had practically to suspend theiramusements. In thtf afternoon the sun shone out ami sports were resumed. Tho managing committee worked hard to keep up the games, and the music of the Volunteer Baiid enlivened the proceedings, The only drawback was the wet grass underfoot, but considering the adverse weather the picnic was most successful. J Of course the attendance of visitors was fcterially lessened by the weather, put the spirit which has kept alivo this lliniveraary for so mauy years was abundantly manifest on this occasion