Show chatham isles shepherds first to greet new year shepherds of the chatham Is islands landsi new zealand welcomed the new year while milkmen milkman in the united states are making their rounds on the last day of tile the old year the british colony of persons persona in tile the southern pacific Is the first place in the world to welcome the new year when the bell in the little church on hanson island peals out midnight the chimes of big ben in london sound 12 noon and it Is 7 a I 1 m in new york the chatham islands are the nearest point to the starting line of time the starting line Is the admiral tys date line it Is made to curve east and west of the one hundred and eightieth meridian in such a way that it lies always in the ocean the chatham islands are just to the east of the line tile the new year begins its race from tile the islands westward along the equator at a speed of 1000 miles nn an hour by the time new yorkers gather to welcome it most of the chacham islanders are really ready for their new dinner |