FIREWORKS DISPLAY

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 131, 30 November 1933, Page 4

FIREWORKS DISPLAY

FINAL OF THE CARNIVAL

SOME BEAUTIFUL SETS ,

Wellington's carnival programme certainly concluded with a bang, or rather with many bangs, foi- there were no half measures about tlie'final attraction, a fireworks display, postponed from- Saturday and held last night at Athletic I'arlc. It was a show that would make the heart nf any boy rejoice, but it was o£ interest also to persons of more mature years if for no other reason than that it revealed the remarkable progress made in the manufacture of pyrotechnics. Many beautiful effects were produced, it was these that caught the popular fancy, drawing forth expressions of admiration from the spectators. There was an attendance of about five or six hundred, but doubtless had 'the weather outlook not been so unpromising in the early part of the evening the patronage accorded the exhibition would have been greater. As it was, the weather had cleared by starting time, and conditions turned out to be quite good for the display.

A comprehensive programme lasting about? an hour was put through. The whole show was supplied by Waiuoni Fireworks, Ltd., of .Christchurch, and the firing was done by men who knew their job thoroughly and had something going all the time to maintain the interest of the spectators. Altogether about £150 worth of material was used.

Two good detonations, the noise from which reverberated through the grandstand, followed by skyrockets which filled the air with coloured lights, opened proceedings, and from then on until "finis" was exhibited-in coloured lights there was plenty doing. Thick smoke hung over the ground like a pall from the early detonations, but a breeze sprang up and the smoke very soon lifted, giving the crowd a, splendid view of all >.the items, which were' staged at the southern end of the ground. Mammoth 18in shells of multicoloured stars and golden ruin, serpent, mines, and rockets' soared into the air, making a grand spectacle. The set pieces excited .much admiration. They took1 two days to>,erect, and yet they were only a part. of a programme which took an hour to put through. It was evident that most,.of the sets were costly, and it was learned afterwards that as much as £10 worth' of material was required for- one, a. particularly striking piece of work, entitled the "giant golden cascade." This stood about 18ft from the ground and was a wonderfully realistic representation of several waterfalls. The Prince of Wales feathers, which was put on twice, a representation of a gaudywinged giant butterfly, and the "bouquet of golden sprays and Roman candles" were also most attractive. The other sets were "Tenakoe," written in fire, a rainbow wheel, battery of Roman candles, revolvina; fountain, "Mickey the Mouse," spiral wheel, double diamond chromatrope, bouquet of fountain sprays, the star of the east, and the great Saxon set. The whole made up a glittering spectacle and a thoroughly good hour's entertainment. ■■■"'■■ /

Before the programme began selections were given by the Wellington Pipe Band, which also played at intervals during the display. :: .'