World ushers in new millennium

AUCKLAND, DEC. 31. Micronesia's tiny Kiribati and Polynesia's only kingdom, Tonga, became the first to enter the new millennium.

Tonga's King Taufa'Ahau Tupou IV welcomed a worldwide audience to his kingdom ``where time begins,'' as 10,000 of his subjects gathered outside the little wooden sea-front palace to sing Handel's ``Hallelujah''. Their dress contrasted to the exotic tones of the 70 dark Micronesian dancers from Tawara who were shipped to the lonely millennium island at the eastern extreme of Kiribati.

In Bangkok, the coming of the new millennium was celebrated by thousands by declaring undying love at a mass wedding ceremony on the cusp of the new millennium. Two thousand couples, including 300 foreigners, were married at a mass wedding ceremony at a huge exhibition centre on the outskirts of the Thai capital.

Among the industrialised nations, New Zealand was the first to enter the new millennium. Thousands of people braved intermittent rain in most major New Zealand towns and cities to attend midnight celebrations, countdowns, fireworks and concerts. As the clock hit midnight, crowds cheered beneath the town clock in Gisborne on the east coast of the North Island and in Auckland, the country's biggest city, fireworks flooded the downtown harbour area with light.

Y2K hurdle crossed

The world today passed its first serious Y2K computer hurdle when New Zealand's sophisticated electronic banking system switched over to the new century without any problems. New Zealand is regarded as the Y2K canary and the Government had set up a major monitoring centre under the beehive, the executive wing of Parliament.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand said the country's banking systems had come through the 2000 date change without difficulty. The Reserve Bank Deputy Governor, Mr. Rod Carr, said, ``New Zealanders should have no difficulty getting cash and doing their shopping''.

The banking system was one of the key areas being monitored for any sign of the Y2K computer bug.The new millennium's first child was born in Auckland at 12.01 a.m. local time on Saturday, media reports said.

Radio New Zealand quoted hospital authorities as saying they could give no details immediately as the family wanted privacy.

Television New Zealand said six babies were born within 20 minutes of the millennium's arrival.

- AP, AFP

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