FIRE BRIGADES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18801, 2 March 1923, Page 4

FIRE BRIGADES

STREET PROCESSION.

SPLENDID FIREWORKS DISPLAY.

Very keen interest was displayed by the public in a street procession by the visiting and local members of fire brigades and a_ fireworks display given by the Chinese residents of the city on the Caledonian Ground last night. Before 7 o’clock a large number of people had assembled in the streets, and half an hour later a dense crowd thronged the line of route to be taken by the procession. The firemen met at the Central Fire Brigade Station, and set out from there for the Caledonian Ground about a quarter to 8, accompanied by the Kaikoroi, St. Kilda, and Highland Pipe Bands, which rendered selections at intervals during the march. Well over 100 firemen participated in the procession, which was followed with the keenest interest by the spectators. The march through the streets was greatly enlivened by the presence of a, large motor lorry, the occupants of which were about a dozen Chinese, who carried out a fireworks display m the streets. The Chinese spared no effort to ensure the success of their undertaking, and in this direction they were eminently successful. As the big lorry made its way from the fire station into Stuart street and thence into Princes street, all kinds of fire works were let off with the greatest freedom. At times crackers, etc., shot out from the vehicle with surprising rapidity, and the noise caused by the explosions and the... showers of sparks which flew in all directions evoked numerous exclamations of surprise from the bystanders. The weather conditions were almost ideal for such a demonstration. The sky was fairly dear, and though a somewhat keen wind prevailed it was not sufficiently strong to mar the effect which, from a spectacular point of view, was very fine. Affer going through the town, the fire-, men proceeded to King Edward street, and entered the Caledonian Ground at the Kensington end. The majority of the spectators accompanied the precession to the junction of Princes street and the Anderson’s Bay road, and then hurried to the Caledonian Ground to witness the fireworks display, which formed the principal attraction of the evening. THE DEMONSTRATION. On the procession arriving at the Caledonian Ground it was greeted by an immense crowd. It is seldom that such a concourse is seen on the ground. The grand stand was filled to overflowing long before the procession reached its destination, and when it actually arrived the crowd was densely packed all round the ring. The grounds were not exactly brilliantly illuminated, but that is easily explained. The chief feature of the demonstration was to be a pyrotechnic display, and the presence! of many lights would have spoilt this. As it was, a moon approaching the full militated against the spectacle presented being quite as effective as it would otherwise have been. The night was a fine clear one, but a biting wind from the north-east did,, not. conduce to the comfort of the thousands who found their way to the ground. The first diversion to which the crowd was treated was the dancing by juveniles on the platform to the music of the bagpipes, the pipers being Mr D. Mackay and Master Budge. The dances consisted of a Highland reel by Miss Beulah King's pupils, a sailors’ hornpipe by Miss Winnie Robinson’s pupils, a Highland fling by Miss King’s pupils, an Irish reel by Mr Clark’s pupils, and the reel o’ tullooh by Miss Robinson’s pupils. The girls taking part in this portion of the demonstration danced exceedingly well, and were loudly applauded. Attention was transferred to a knot of Chinese residents, who, with the assistance of others of their country living in the city, had undertaken the active work in connection with a firewoiks display, and were getting ready for operations about die centre of the ground. There certain wooden structures had been erected to facilitate making the display, and about these the workers grouped themselves. An outburst of crackers and bombs heralded the less noisy though more spectacular, and consequently more attractive kinds of fireworks, and it was not more than a few minutes when the whole place was brilliantly illuminated by means of coloured lights, Roman candles, Chinese fliers, rising moons, Catherine wheels, both stationary and rising, golde-i rain, and rockets. The Chinese residents certainly carried out their share in the demonstration exceptionally well «It is doubtful whether a better or more elaborate display has ever been made here than was witnessed on the Caledonian Ground last evening. A great many of the spectators, more especially the younger portion, became so much interested when the-display commenced that they took possession of the ground to some extent. Once a crowd does that it is pretty well impracticable to remove them, and for this reason some novelties the brigades had intended to present had to be abandoned. The Chinese demonstrators were loudly applauded at the conclusion of their display, which they started punctually, and went through in a systematic and rapid manner. The remaining exhibition was made by members of the brigades, and may be termed a rescue event. It consisted of several men leaping from a wooden structure about 30ft high , into a canvas held below for their reception. Into this event a certain amount of humour was introduced. The Kaikorai, St. Kilda, and Pipe Bands played selections during tire evening. One-third of the profits accruing from the demonstration are to be handed over to the Hospital and Benevolent Institution. The proceedings concluded shortly before 10 o’clock.