NEW YEAR'S EVE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19198, 3 January 1928, Page 10

NEW YEAR'S EVE.

CITY CELEBRATES. On Saturday night, Christehureh departed entirely from its rather staid observance of New Year's Eve, and "let go" from shortly before midnight until well after one o'clock. Cathedral square was the scene of the main celebrations, and rarely has it seen so merry a crowd. At a quarter to twelve the fun really started, and bombs, crackers, throwdowns, etc., were used f recJy by the crowd. Motorhorns, squeakers, tin cans, and a bugle added considerably to the noise. It was an impossibility to drive a motor-car through the Square, the young men seeing that a machine did not got more than a few yards before they stopped it. When they had stopped a car, bombs and crackers •were thrown i%to the machine, but the police soon stopped that sport. A pipe band was a great attraction, and hundreds marched round the Square after it. Apparently the crowd was uncertain as to what hour New Year's Day did commence, so the celebrations were kept going until after one o'clock. Spasmodically until about three o'clock, bombs were fired.

"Gate lifting" was popular again this year—by those who lifted the gates, and many a householder woke on New Year's Day to find a decrepit wooden gate hanging to his expensive iron fence, while his own gate reposed on the front of a residence some distance away. Many and varied were the pranks played, and New Year's Eve showed again some of the old timo spirit of celebration.