THE ILLUMINATIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12535, 24 June 1901, Page 9

THE ILLUMINATIONS.

A BRILLIANT SPECTACLE. A CITY OF LIGHT. As darkness settled, down upon the city on Saturday night and a heavy, oppressive darkness it was the streets and buildings began to assume a brilliant appearance, as though the genii of the Arabian Nights had been at work. Building after building revealed its outlines in myriad rows .of lights, and here and there transparencies with patriotic devices appeared. Bands.could be heard at intervals, and as one surveyed the glad city rejoicing in honour of the advent of the Heir to England’s Throne, the sweet eld verse—• “ And the night shall be filled with music, And the cares that infest the day Shall fold up their tents hke the Arabs, And as silently steal away: ’ rose to memory. The city was like a great joyous heart throbbing with human life, and the centre-piece was great, grey Cathedral, now a wondrous fairy mountain of lights. Though probably many grander illuminative schemes have been evolved' m the colonies since the arrival of the Royal pair in the lands of the Southern Cross, nothing could have excelled the artistic effect of the Cathedral illuminations, winch were the head and front of all. Th» mysterious, wavering searchlight thrown on the cross completed the pictee. The streets in the centre of the city formed one of the gayest and mast brilliant spectacles yet seen in Ohristehurch, and though. the effect was somewhat marred by several transparencies that might have meant anything other than what they were labelled, the general scene was one of opulent colour and brilliancy. It is to be deplored that a more general scheme of illuminations had not been contemplated. While some Of the central positions in the city were fantastic blazes of light, others, were in almost blank darkness; thus doing much to detract from the otherwise splendid effect. The Cathedral, of course, came first, its noble spire outlined) in many-coloured •lights and its gleaming cross surmounting all; a tower of light that could, be seen from afar like a fairy palace. Cathedral Square on the whole was well illuminated, as were also Cashel Street, Upper High Street, Hereford Street, Lichfield Street and portions of Colombo Street and Worcester Street; beyond this there was but little exhibition. Coloured and white electric lights were the predominating features on the larger buildings', though gas was also, largely brought into requisition. The illuminated arches presented striking appearances, and the street decorations, the city’s washing,” as they have been unkindly designated, tawdry enough in the light of day, were invested' with a new glory. Probably the Christchurch illuminations were not so effective as those of Auckland and Wellington, but it must be remembered that they were spread over a wider area, and thus the concentrated effect so noticeable in the northern centres was lost. Then Christchurch being flat, can present no illuminative schemes rising tier above tier as did the sister cities, and the necessary power for gigantic electric exhibitions was not available except in the case of the Cathedral and one or two, other buildings. Amongst the buildings deserving of special' mention was Messrs Strange s large warehouse in High Street. This was brilliantly lit up, and electric lights and designs were shown on a lavish scale, the two flags picked out in coloured electric globes and by a peculiar arrangement ap; pearing to wave gently as though stirred by a passing 'breeze, formed one of the prettiest devices in the city. Messrs Ballantyne’s premises in Cashel Street were another -of the eights; three festoon borders of electric lamps running the length of the building, the ’Maori words of welcome, “ Haeremai ” in large letters with the Prince of Wales’s feathers for a centrepiece, and various other devices combined to form a splendid display. The City Council Chambers gas designs were pretty and effective, and a transparency representing Kipling’s famous words “Lest we forget,” a picture of the late Queen guarded by a Maori chief, attracted favourable comment. The north front of the Poet Office was brilliant with gas designs,'a large representation of the Royal Arms being conspicuous, but the eastern front was spoilt by the hideous transparencies alleged to pourtray the Duke and Duchess. The Hereford Hotel was a blaze of light. Messrs A. J. White’s premises were fronted by a number of good transparencies, and overhead were long festoons of electric globes. The Canterbury Hall had only one device, the 'word “Welcome” in electric lights. At ’the Victoria Bridge arch, electric illuminations gave a delicate and fairylike appearance to the wealth of beautiful greenery. The canopy at Armagh Street corner was also lit by electricity, and the lights afforded 1 it the finished appearance which was wanting in the day time. The frozen meat arch showed up conspicuously, and the. Westland bay at High and Colombo Streets corner was artistically and tastefully illuminated. The agricultural arch was hung with Chinese lanterns. The “Lyttelton Times ” office had a large. “ Welcome ” and festoons of electric lights, brilliantly lighting Gloucester Street, in front. The Gas Company’s offices wore a massive sheet of resplendent light, the designs being on a very extensive scale. The “Press” office was partly illuminated with gas and partly with electricity, a large transparency, “ Our Royal Visitors,” forming the centrepiece. The great bulk of the electric work has been carried out by Messrs Turnbull and Jones’s employees under the management of.Mr C. A. S eager, and) tho gas designs generally have been arranged by the firms of Messrs Taylor and Oakley, Faikindcr end Colville, and Hement Bros. LYTTELTON. The illuminations at Lyttelton were creditable for a small town, if not very extensive. They were nearly limited to public

buildings, the only private displays being a gas star at the Lyttelton Hotel, and a gas crown at the Royal Hotel. The illumination of the Harbour Board office was decidedly effective. The large frame of electric lights, repaired after its accident of a couple of days before, blazed forth above the doorwav, showing the crown and the initials of the Royal pair in gold, and the Prince of Wales feathers in white, the whole surrounded with a border of red, white, purple and blue lights. This fin's decoration .is 12ft in height and ,9ft wide, and contains 200 incandescent lights. The Post Office displayed gas stars and 1 transparencies in alternate windows, and the string course belgw these was outlined in fairy a lamps of many colours. The general effect was good, though the transparencies, four of which purported to he portraits.of the Kin" and Queen and of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, were of no merit as works of art. The Borough Council buildings were illuminated in ,a similar style, but there the gas devices were a large Star and crown, and the transparencies represented the arms of Hew Zealand, Canterbury and Lyttelton, and the monogram of the Royal guests. Coloured fires were burned during the evening from the Post Office and the Borough buildings. Therewas only one illumination on the water, but that one was most effective. The Government s.s. Tutanekai was, _in nautical phrase,, 1 ‘ rambowed" with incandescent electric lights of red and! white. A'line of similar lamps ran up each - mast. The funnel was decorated in like fashion, and two large electric five stars gleamed from the forward side of the bridge. The general effect was admirable. [Per Press Association, j TIMABU, June 23. The post office buildings a/b TirWayu were brilliantly illuminated last night, in honour of the landing of the Royal party in Canterbury. The transparencies were' particularly good. Great preparations are being made for the reception on Tuesday.