Hospitals were amazed at how quiet they were on New Year's Eve after expecting to be swamped by emergency patients and drunks.
Hospitals in Auckland City, South Auckland and Gisborne all reported quieter-than-usual emergency departments.
North Shore Hospital was no busier than usual, and Tauranga Hospital said the night wassteady but with extra staff on duty it managed easily.
The staff at Auckland Hospital emergency department saw about 100 patients - fewer than the 140 usually turning up on a New Year's Eve.
Up to 400 were expected with the big celebrations around the city. The hospital had put up a tent near the ambulance bay to cope and, like others, had extra staff on duty.
Spokeswoman Brenda Saunders said there were only ever about 12 patients in the tent at once.
The Gisborne Hospital assistant duty manager, Julie Astwood, said the emergency department had been slower than on a normal Friday night, let alone a normal New Year's Eve.
"Everyone had been psyched up and hyped up so much. They were so well prepared and so cautious, and there were police everywhere. The safe option was taken."
