ORGANISER SATISFIED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26708, 1 March 1948, Page 6

ORGANISER SATISFIED

ONLY. ONE MINOR MISHAP The satisfaction of the crowd at the splendour of the display was, in a more modest way, echoed by the organiser, Mr C. D. Brock. Interviewed at the conclusion of the night’s proceedings, he said that everything had gone according to plan, with the exception of one minor detail—the mishap to the set piece of the kiwi and its egg. This piece toppled over immediately after it had been touched off. The jocular suggestion that it was probably the influence of the 40-hour week which caused the defection of New Zealand’s native bird was made by Mr Brock. “The kiwi probably objected to working on Saturday,” he said. Saturday night was the culmination of a long period of hard work for Mr Brock and his two capable assistants, who, after weeks of preparation, put the finishing touches to their task by toiling from daylight to dusk on Friday and Saturday. The perfect timing of the display and the rarity of moments when a spectacular sight of one kind or another was not visible reflected the utmost credit on those responsible. Although he expressed himself satisfied with the display and the manner in which it was carried through, Mr Brock had no comment to make about the size of the crowd. “ I had no time to see whether it was a good one or not,” he said. Those who were close enough to see him darting from one piece to another with a taper in his hand, and periodically signalling to his assistants for the setting-off of the next display, can bear out his contention that Saturday night was not a time when the principals had time to consider the matter of the audience and its size.