Well-behaved revellers led to quiet night

GOOD TIMES: It might have been a quiet New Year's Eve for emergency services but the party raged at Napier's Thirsty Whale. PHOTO/ DUNCAN BROWN.

The relatively-quiet night that heralded the New Year has been welcomed by emergency services across Hawke's Bay.

Police District Command Centre Senior Sergeant Dan Foley said while there was no such thing as a "quiet New Year's Eve", there had not been any major issues.

"Sometimes people are just well behaved."

Inspector Andy Sloan of Hawke's Bay Police said it was a quiet and uneventful night in Napier and Hastings and the beach settlements of Waimarama and Mahia. There had been two arrests for disorderly behaviour before midnight.

Behaviour overall had been good and a lot of families had attended the New Year celebrations at the Napier Sound Shell that went off without incident, Mr Sloan said.

St John had treated several people at the Napier Sound Shell celebrations who needed water poured into their eyes, but the overall number of incidents were low.

St John Heretaunga territory manager Brendon Hutchinson said: "it was an extremely quiet evening which was fantastic."

The Hawke's Bay Hospital also reported a quiet night with only two "alcohol-related presentations".

Despite numerous fireworks displays the regions fire services had few New Year's Eve related callouts.

The only callout for a fireworks related incident was attended by Napier and Taradale fire services shortly after midnight on New Year's Eve.

Napier station manager Warrick Lequesne said the Harpham street fire had involved a small tree and a hedge, but the fire was almost out when services arrived.

"It was just a normal [New Year's Eve] for us, it wasn't over the top but it wasn't too quiet," Mr Lequesne said.

Across the Eastern District Police reported a quiet and incident-free night, with a marked improvement in behaviour at the Rhythm and Vines festival compared to last year.

There were only four arrests at the Gisborne festival on New Year's Eve - three for disorder and one assault.

Police said the arrest numbers were low considering the high levels of drunkenness of many people staying in campsites adjoining the festival site.