VICTORY CELEBRATED

Hutt News, Volume 19, Issue 12, 22 August 1945, Page 5

VICTORY CELEBRATED

VJ DAY IN HUTT MANY MERRY CKOWDS VJ Day celebrations got away to a. flying start very few seconds after 11 o'clock a.m. For some time prior to that hour people started to edge closer and closer to .the nearest radio set and when Prime Minister Atlee made his historic announcement few waited to hear the remainder of his . speech. As soon aS; the dramatic words were spoken sirens, hooters, whistles and cheers iburst- into a spontaneous and continuous chorus of sound that did not completely die away for some hour-3. .High Street was soon thronged with 'laughing, cheering and singing folk jwtio waved flags, produced all man'ner of weird noises from a wide .variety of gazookas, rattles and what-have-you, while there were few people who before long were not liberally besprinkled with confetti. Bandsmen were soon on the job, the High School Band for one, leading a particularly jolly procession oi' boys and girls up and down the street.

Activity centred mainly in front of the Council Chambers where toand music, Maori hakas, and a .variety of extempore performances left no doubt in the minds of anyone that Lower Hutt was celebrating Victory.

The official ceremony took place ' later in the afternoon when the Mayor (Mr. J. W. Andrews) briefly addressed the crowd through the loud speaker attached to the chief traffic inspector's car. In spite of ,the incessant rain the youngsters derived a good deal of amusement by . riding round in the council's trucks , 'jplaced at their disposal. The Civic ~J3an<i played selections and led the "crowd in community singing, but the weather made it impossible for them .to enter into the carnival spirit of dancing in the street. Most of the ■ crowd viewed the proceedings from - under the shelter of the verandahs. When the crowd was thickest, at about 3; o'clock, a little diversion Tvg,s caused opposite the King George Thfeatre when a sailor and his bride alighted from a car which had to pull up as near as possible to the 4 s Entrance to the place of the wed- . ding breakfast, and walk through a ; dtope take an extra share a friendly was on the spot and helped them through the crowd. *