Fully 20 minutes after the advertised time someone bearing a lighted torch was seen emerging and a hopeful cheer went up from the multitude. Quickly a row of green and red flares sending off volumes of smoke was lighted all along the base of the hill, and the great display of pyrotechnics had begun.
The greater number of the items in the demonstration that followed were rockets of great variety. Sometimes they were let off singly and sometimes they soared in the air four or five together. They broke into showers of beautiful rainbow-hued stars or fell like wriggling, fiery serpents leaving trails of sparks in their wake.
Early in the display came an effective set piece, "Welcome to Dunedin" in letters of red, gold, and pale green fire that drew applause. Salvoes of shots from the device signified the city’s welcome to its visitors.
The crowd, of course, as crowds will do, thrust itself forward as near as it could possibly get to danger. The fact that some of the explosions were severe enough to shake the whole grandstand and to reverberate miles away, did not dismay them in the least. One of the rockets indeed, to the alarm of those in the grandstand, instead of rising up headed along the ground straight for the mass of spectators. Somehow or other it fortunately happened that no-one was injured. The proceedings were, however, not without a serious accident that occurred while the King and Queen piece was being shown. One of the projectiles from it struck a pile of bombs near which one of the exhibition carpenters was standing, and the resulting explosion severely injured him, breaking one of his legs.
The imitation of Niagara Falls, with its great broad, smooth cascade of living fire was one of the most successful of all the devices, and was very warmly applauded. The portraits of the King and Queen were quite unmistakable.
At half-past 11 the piece de resistance, "The Battle of Jutland" was presented. In this elaborate piece some realistic effects of moving destroyers and of battle ships firing broadsides were obtained and heavy cannonading was maintained for a considerable time. The whole entertainment was both pretty, wonderful, and unusual and for many thousands it will remain by no means the least vivid memory of a truly memorable New Year’s Eve.
— ODT, 2.1.1926
