THE EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15497, 2 January 1914, Page 6

THE EXHIBITION.

FIRST DAY OF NEW YEAR.

ANOTHER LARGE CROWD.

ATTENDANCE OF 10,567. \

Yesterday (New Year's Day) was a busy day at the Exhibition. , There was a good attendance during the afternoon, and in the evening- the number of visitors was much larger. The number of adults who paid for admission was : ,7935, and llho children numbered 1126., In addition, 1506 season ticket-holders passed through the gates, making a fotal attendance for the day of 10.567. The total takings for. the day amounted to £424 17s 9d. ~ Tie art gallery was visited during the day by about 400 people, and. the aquarium had 999 visitors.

As .might be expected, a very large number of yesterday's visitors to the Exhibton spent a porton of the first day of the New Year in indulging in the delights of Wonderland.' Excellent business was done in every department of this great feature of the -Exhibitiot, which remained open until 10.30 p.m. vr : " The aquarium continues to' be one of the most frequented portions'of the Exhibition. Yesterday : a steady <", stream of visitors passed in and out; throughout the day and evening, the total number of visitors being just one less than a thousand. ""■'" X ■'*■'

Tlie fairy fountain retaias its attraction, for the ovening patrons of the Exhibition. Each of the three evening displays is witnessed by a large ' crowd ,of people, who never seem to tire of watching tho beautiful spectacles afforded. ■. Royal Artillery : Band Concerts. \ r . 'Tho Royal Artillery Band gave 'two performances yesterday, - and both programmes 'contained se-eral items of special merit. In, the afternoon the suite, " Spanish Dances" (Moszkowski), was well suited to the holiday taste, whilst - "Reminiscences of • Tschaikowsky" contained* some very fine selections, including ; the "DaiiseTrepak,", from ithe;Casse, Noisette suite, and. the stirring finale to overture " 1812," which was, as usual, received" with many marks of; appreciation^ from ..',the"'.large audience resembled. . Other, pleasing items' were "The Yeomen of tholGuard" (Sullivan}, Italian .serenade,. "Lola" (Friedemann), and 'especially, the splendid prelude to Act HI. of "Lohengrin"' (Wagner).?■-. '■< \ ') The eveningl= programme included ?; the grand selection No. 1, from " Tannhauser" (Wagner) which was excellently received. The audience was 'also ' greatly pleased with th>9 ; selection, "A ; Walte Dream" (Strauss),,"as well as a suite "Woodland Dan«ea", (Herbert Haines), and other popular items. The piccolo solo,;;" The Goldfinch" (Wilcoclcfi): was 1 - well rendered by Corporal E. Reynolds. :V %^'/'Z',:-J-«V : ': ' ' To-mwrow's floial Carnival, •;. . To-morrow wilL be a jgreat'day at the Exhibition. In the afternoon will be the floral carnival and sweet pea pageant, this being held on v the Domain \ Cricket Ground.^ Those who pay to go into,the Domain on this occasion will have a ticket Issued; to them which will admit them through': the cricket ground , gates ; into the Exhibition free of any further charge; the i converse will not be the case. ■</?.,)

The carnival will be a most picturesque event.* There will be decorated motorcars, motor-cycles, arid several other floral .attractions. , -Then there will; be . ladies attired as • posters, and; the; competitions for the best dressed girl, ,£ue queen of the carnival, and other competitions, should bo most :'.■ interesting. :' :-.Daintily-dressed children r :will'' give Highland, skirt,;^ ; and fancy dances on the lawn* y : ; ..■:■■ .;;;--.«, ; % The most; : interesting .event in the programme is the sweet pea pageant;";; In this between 100 and ISO girls M will take part, and..the pageant -.rill demonstrate evolution of 1 the sweet \ pea from, its earliest stages to its present perfection; of bloom. „ ;:•'.•*: - ' •, ,j.,u. ' \-{, i^f

%'cThef? competitors - , will « arrive on ■}, the ground [ from;; 2 * to !■ 2.30 p.m., \ arid at the. latter hour the judging will be commenced* This will bo. followed. by the decoration of the " prize-winners with •■ ribbons ;..'. by the master, of ceremonies. "i The • winning queen of-the carnival will be "-.escorted to the throne by the master of ceremonies, 'who will do her homage,'- arid the other ' queens will take places on the throne below her. .At 3 p.m. > the sweet .{tea pageant will commence. ' "The.participant** will marclj to the centre of the grounds, followed by the competitors in • the ■■ carnival ; competitions.- and - will pass in; procession round the grounds. -•; Specially trained pageant girls .will then go through tV; drills. The dancing competitions will -follow, and will be judged by Miss Beere, of Wellington. • The •12 ; boys : who are walking from ...the Te Kao' native ;school,.near North Cape, to the Exhibition, are expected, to arrive at Auckland to-morrow, afternoon at three o'clock, ; and ■ they, will;' probably ? give >. a selection' of .-.songs, : waiatas,' f and 'hakas*at the sweet pea carnival. ",'■•' r •' , fi, The,Royal? Artillery Band will also bo present at the carnival, and will play during the afternoon.. , ' ~'?.t>" '; V ■"'*%;

Military sports' and an>;asßanrt-at-arms will take place in -the • Domain to-morrow evening. J The novelty of the display, combined with the fact that the Royal' Artillery Band will play in the Domain for the occasion, should insure the presence of a large crowd. rj ■'°>^-i'-^ ,<v .*' : ~ s On Monday-next an important event of musical interest will be the visit of the Christchurch Liedertafel, ' ; the 'members of which will 1( * give.' concerts -on Monday, Tuesday, arid Wednesday. *<^V' yfi*. .

; Arrival of, Hew Exhibits. J"" ; The Exhibition authorities," as previously noted, have every reason to feel gratified that the Exhibition was not seriously interfered with by the recent strike. A few belated exhibits are.still coming to hand, and amongst; those which. arrived yesterday were some machinery exhibits from Christchurch, which : were , sent away.from that city as long-ago'as November 13, shortly after the-'commencement of the strike. The Southland district court also received some additions during the past two days. Information Bureau. The information bureau which has been established just inside the main entrance to the palace of industries by the Victoria League, is proving of great service not only to visitors from abroad, who desire to obtain information regarding Auckland and, New Zealand generally, but also to many New Zealanders from other parts of the Dominion, who, of -course, have many questions to ask regarding, Auckland. A great deal of information regarding, the .Exhibition and the location of various exhibits is also obtained at this conveniently situated office by the general .public. Miss Statham, secretary of the league, is in charge of the bureau.