CELEBRATION OF V DAY

Southland Times, Issue 25668, 10 May 1945, Page 4

CELEBRATION OF V DAY

Whistles Blown And Bells Rung 1 FLAGS AND BUNTING The V Day celebrations in Invercargill began officially at 7 o’clock yesterday morning, when whistles were blown and bells were rung. However, few people were abroad at that hour—many had sat up late to listen to Mr Churchill's broadcast—and there was no organized demonstration. It was not until about 9 o’clock that there was much, movement in the streets. During the morning there was not a great deal of activity in the business area. Those people who did go to town appeared to be very much at a loose end.■'There was no joyous spirit •of celebration in evidence and the only outward signs that a victory had been won were provided by the flags and bunting on the buildings. Motor vehicles and bicycles also carried flags, and there was a host of hopeful boys selling, or endeavouring to sell, victory badges. At least one couple celebrated the occasion by getting married, and thus for them it was a double event. Until midday there was no more traffic than on an ordinary week day, but after lunch people began to stream into the city streets, and by 1.30 o’clock a big crowd had gathered in Tay street outside the Town Hall. It was a sober crowd, the people giving the impression that they remembered those who had fallen in the war and also that Japan had still to be defeated. It was not until the crowd broke up after the Town Hall ceremony that the people began to show signs of rejoicing. The May Fair celebrations helped considerably.. Adults and children in fancy dress gave colour to the scene. The merry-go-round was popular, especially among the children, and business was brisk. Many others made their way to Esk street, where children’s events were in progress. The presence of two bands helped to brighten the proceedings. HOTELS THRONGED The trust hotels were well patronized, and in the afternoon they became the popular rendezvous of hundreds of happy people. They were crowded in file later hours and there wds much jollification, but there was nothing untoward about the behaviour. On the contrary, it was good for such an occasion, and the police commented favourably on it. They found the crowds orderly, they said, and they had no complaints at all. CELEBRATION AT GORE PUBLIC SERVICE IN MAIN STREET The news of the peace declaration was received quietly at Gore. However, the significance of the occasion was not allowed to be forgotten. Business premises were gay with bunting and cars drove through the streets with flags flying. The blast of whistles and the ringing of the fire bell added a note of festivity at 5 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon. Residents were awakened at 7 o’clock yesterday morning when railway engines sounded prolonged blasts on their whistles. Borough workmen were busy on Tuesday afternoon erecting stagings and decorations and power board employees brought a reminder of the Gaiety Gala by festooning the streets with coloured lights. The current was switched on in the evening, the scene of brilliance being a prelude to the music and merriment in the streets last night, when performances were given by concert parties, and dancing took place in Mersey street. The occasion had an added significance for the children because of the distribution of 1000 flags. Boys and girls were queued up five deep near the Town Hall doors at 9 o’clock yesterday morning, the flags being received with obvious delight. Yesterday afternoon a public thanksgiving service was held in Main street, the speakers delivering their addresses from a dais in the centre of the business area. The street was thronged with people, who listened to the service, which was relayed by loud-speakers. A review of the war situation and a statement of the purpose of the gathering was given by the Mayor (Mr A. T. Newman). SAVAGE FOE OVERTHROWN The chief speaker was Canon W. W. Powell,' who based his address on Psalm 124: “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us . . .” In the last week, he said, we had seen the overthrow of a revengeful, savage foe. We had cause to thank God that that savage foe had himself been destroyed. The history of the war showed that not once oi’ twice, but many times, the nation had been saved from defeat. The acknowledgment of this deliverance must be tempered with the knowledge of the suffering and sacrifices endured. “May there come more respect for these men and women and a new joy in service for others. May it be translated into our own lives by giving out our love,” he said. Tire hymns sung were, “All People that on Earth do Dwell” and “O God! Our Help in Ages Past.” The prayer was read by the Rev. A. J. Gibbs, the reading from the 124th Psalm was given by the Rev. F. B. Barton, a hymn was led by Major E. D. Blaikie (Salvation Army) and the Benediction was pronounced by Mr Gibbs. Last night services were held in all Protestant churches and later the festivities were begun by the lighting of a bonfire in Hockey Park. Today basketball matches will be played on a court marked out at the corner of Main and Mersey streets and in the evening dancing will take place in the street. SPIRIT OF GRATITUDE . AND RELIEF Orderly Crowds In Dunedin (P.A.) DUNEDIN, May 9. Seven thousand people assembled in the Octagon and the streets surrounding the Town Hall at 1 o’clock today to take part in the civic service of thanksgiving. In comparison with the more spontaneous festivities of Tuesday, today’s only public function was characterized by a spirit of gratitude and relief.

As in other centres, sirens, bells and whistles were sounded at 7 p.m. and during the afternoon bands and impromptu orchestras provided music at various points in the city and there was a good deal of singing. Many outbursts of youthful exuberance were noticed, but on the whole the demeanour of the large and good-natured crowds was entirely orderly.

JOLLIFICATION IN CHRISTCHURCH

Exuberant Crowds Throng Streets (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 9. From the ringing of bells and the sounding of sirens and whistles at 7 a.m., Christchurch celebrated V Day

exuberantly today. The crowd congregated first in Cathedral Square and moved wherever they thought the celebrations were being adequately maintained. The days’ jollifications were interminable, being carried on till late at night. For a period in the afternoon the celebrations were in keeping with the reverence shown at the thanksgiving service, hotels voluntarily and freely responding to the invitation to close between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Young people made the most of the opportunity for demonstrating their feelings, and although at times they were noisy theii’ behaviour was restrained, good humoured and naturally and happily demonstrative. A feeling of goodwill was in the air, and motorists who threaded their way through the packed crowds in Cathedral Square, the centre of all celebrations, contentedly allowed many happy celebrators to clamber all over their cars. Tomorrow the citizens have been invited to join as participants, not as spectators, in a victory march 12 abreast through the city. Servicemen will join in this march and an army battery will fire a salvo- from Hagley Park Police Superintendent H. Scott said the celebrations had been in every way a complete success, and the police had not been called to intervene in any way. The behaviour of the people was excellent. Over 10,000 attended the service of thanksgiving and dedication in the King Edward barracks, presided over by the Mayor, Mr E. H. Andrews. The address was given by Archbishop WestWatson. The Very Rev. J. Lawson Robinson, chairman of the National Council of Churches, the Rev. R. Dudley and the Rev. L. J. Boulton Smith took part in the service.

SCENES OF REVELRY IN' WELLINGTON

Laughing, Cheering Crowds

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 9. The screaming of sirens and the pealing of bells at 7 o’clock this morning awakened Wellington anew to a realization that after nearly six years of war it was peace at last in Europe. Having given spontaneous expression on the previous day to their first natural feelings of jubilation, the people who flocked into the city today for the official celebrations were at the outset in a rather more sober mood. Thankfulness at their deliverance from their most powerful enemy appeared to be the dominant emotion. Not till they had given thanks to God, had paid tribute to the fighting forces, had expressed their sympathy with those to whom the war has brought personal suffering and had re-dedicated themselves to the tasks remaining, did the people give free reign to their rejoicing. Then the celebrations took on a spirit of increasing abandon, culminating in sences of revelry unprecedented in the I history of the city. Though no trams or buses ran after midday, the people poured into the city for the national thanksgiving service at noon and the citizens’ service in the afternoon. Thereafter, laughing, cheering crowds took complete charge of the streets. Bands played in relays and people danced to their music and generally behaved with good humoured, but unrestrained, exuberance, maintaining an air of carnival throughout the evening. STREETS CROWDED IN AUCKLAND (P.A.) AUCKLAND, May 9. Bells, sirens and the voices of an exulting throng were stilled for a short period this afternoon while the official proclamation of victory was read by the Mayor, Mr J. A. C. Allum, at the apex of the Town Hall and a brief thanksgiving was offered. All Auckland seemed to gather in the city for the ceremony and Queen street was a sea of faces and flags as far as the eye could see. Large crowds thronged the streets throughout the day and well into the night. Beer consumption was probably a record. The hotels were packed towards six o’clock. GENERAL EISENHOWER RETURNS THANKS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 9. The acting Prime Minister, Mr Nash, has received the following message from General Dwight D. Eisenhower in reply to a cable message sent him congratulating him and all ranks under his command on the capitulation of the German forces in north-west Germany, Denmark an d Holland:— On behalf of myself and all ranks of the Allied Expeditionary Force, -I wish to thank you and the Government and people of New Zealand for your kind and heartening message. Let me assure you we are all very conscious of the great part which New Zealand has played in the victory of the United Nations.