NOVEMBER 5

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 109, 5 November 1934, Page 10

NOVEMBER 5

HOW WE REMEMBER GUY FAWKES AND PLOT FIREWORKS IMPORTS Once a year everybody is reminded by early callers cm the morning of November 5, perhaps for days before and a day or two afterwards, of an Englishman named Guy Fawkcs who from an early ago engaged in war in Flanders for Spain, was selected as a cool and fearless leader i'dr the plot in reply '■ to the anti-Roman Catholic laws applied by James I and who was tortured ami executod with seven others before 36 barrels of gunpowder in the vaults o2 Parliament could be exploded by the plotters. For years past the thwarted effort has been perpetuated by English, German, Canadian, Chinese, and now Auitralian and New Zealand firms making fireworks so that the discovery of the plot may be celebrated. Tho actual and definite significance of the occasion, as is the case to' some, extent with .Yule; tide,' is not remembered, except that there is a wide clamour on tho part' of children that Guy should be burned. Between three and five thousand pounds worth of fireworks arc imported into New Zealand every year in order to satisfy tho demands of children. So long as the child remembers, parents shall . never forget and competition shall..be keen for fireworks. DESIRE FOR ADVENTURE. • The thirst for adventure explains a great deal of the popularity of, November 5 fireworks celebrations,'and it is psychologically true to state that there is less mischief perpetrated by children during a week ■ before and after November 5 than at any other time of the year because of tho fact'that the child mind is able to satisfy vicariously its desire for adventure. Several severe accidents led to the passing of -regulations some years ago, but there has been no adverse effect upon the sale,' of fireworks." As a result of the regulations, English firms profited considerably, contrary to some expectations. Similar, regulations apply in .England, and in practice it has turned out that English fireworks passing the English regulations generally conform with New Zealand requirements. By tests of samples and scrutiny of formulas the Explosives. Department keeps watch upon fireworks imported into and made in New Zealand. Chinese fireworks have fallen back so far as imports into New Zealand are concerned, and English fireworks imported have increased. The difficulty in China is that fireworks are made in many parts and are of variable* standard In addition there have not existed the' facilities for proper labelling with directions as to how the fireworks shall be exploded. IMPORTS FIGURES. In 1929 the importations totalled £5174 (United Kingdom £2866, Hong Kong £111, Germany £59, China £2138). For successive years the- figures are:—l93o, total £533 (England £171, Canada £97, Germany £.25, China £240); 1931', total - *£°7, (United Kingdom £2406, Canada £13, Germany, £46, China £507); 1932, total £2850 (United Kingdom £1962, Australia £4, Germany £82, China £802); 1933, total £3023 .(United Kingdom £2217, Hong Kong £33, Australia £12, China £761); 1934, nino months, total £1996 (United Kingdom £1146, Hong Kong £125, • Australia • £12, Germany £38, China £675). , ■,