November 1: Salvoes of rockets that soared across Clyde Street last night, between University College and flats, including Austen Court opposite indicated a return to the potentially hazardous situation which prevailed there last year, just before November 5.
Last night's firings, which followed similar episodes earlier in the week, saw rockets thudding against the windows at University College and against the roofs of the houses below.
The affair began about 11 p.m. but had dwindled to only desultory fire less than half an hour later after the arrival of both plainclothes and uniformed police.
Dunedin police were making inquiries late last night about the firing of the rockets by "an irresponsible element."
Already this week, the firing of rockets at University College has resulted in four windows being shattered.
Once of the rockets showered a first-year student with splintered glass as it penetrated the window then exploded at the other side of the room.
ULTIMATUM
Yesterday, the university registrar, Mr D. W. Girvan, authorised police to enter the university premises, including halls of residences and student flat complexes, if the sky rocket warfare did not cease immediately.
"We are acting promptly to prevent a recurrence of the events of last November when there was a good deal of trouble in Leith Street," Mr Girvan said.
"There is a difference between high-spirited behaviour and deliberate damaging of property.
"We are also conscious of the danger of serious injury," he added.
Rockets have been used as missiles on University College since about four years ago, but last year a peak was reached, when heavy exchanges of skyrockets lasted for several hours one night before November 5.
After what was described as a "virtual rocket war", 400 spent rockets were collected from the grounds of University College.
As well as rocket fire between halls of residences, there were incidents involving a group of motorcyclists, and rockets were fired from cars which then hastily left the scene.
University officials were concerned about hints of a major "rocket war" breaking out tonight.
This year, rockets have been found to be more highly engineered than previously and are being "doctored" in several ways.
The rocket which exploded in the student's room this week had been adapted so that the stick projected in front of the firework. This created a situation of "maximum impact load" so that the device was capable of shattering plate glass.
Some more highly dangerous rockets using metal attachments were also in use now.
"If this is not stopped soon, someone is going to lose an eye," the University College master, Mr D. F. Symon, warned yesterday.
"Before we can stop it we will I regret to say have to have a situation in which someone is seriously injured (so that students realise the foolhardiness of the practice)," he said.