THE EXHIBITION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 16, 19 January 1914, Page 7

THE EXHIBITION.

BIG WEEK-END CROWDS. J-TREWORKS DISPLAY POPULAR. The .Auckland Exhibition is losing none of ita powers of attraction, as on present indications the season should extend with profit over Easter. It will be remembered that the Co:amUdoners obtained permission to hold an exhibition for three months with the of extension for another thre»» months in the event of sufficient success. The probability is, therefore, that a decision in this matter will not be come until some time next month. On Saturday night the public went Kxhibitionwarde in large numbers, most of them as patrons, but a largo section to get the benefit of the fireworks display and the band music without contributing the price of admission. The hanks along the Domain Drive were in parts thickly patronised by such. The daj'e attendance reached the satisfactory total of 17,500, bringing the total attendance to date to 415,000. THE KOYAL ARTILLERY BAND. The evening crowd on the slope near the No. 1 bandstand was dense, the seating accommodation being taken up at an early hour. An excellent programme wae discoursed by the exceedingly popular Royal Artillery Band, which, in response to the heartiest of applause, gave occasional encores. This afternoon also the Band wa s listened to by a large concourse. Their programme included such fine works as the march "David and Absalom," "Suite of English Dances," the overture "The Flying Dutchman," the reverie " Voix dcs Cloches," and the eelection '"The Sunshine Girl." A Sunday afternoon concert by the ■band attracted an attendance of 'about 1,400, and those who visited the grounds were repaid by hearing one of the choicest collection of musical numbers yet presented by the British military instrumental is te. On Wednesday evening the baud will give their first orchestral concert in the open-air. A. BRIGHT WEEK-END. One of the biggest crowds that has attended th e Exhibition since the huge attendance on the evening of Boxing Day wa s present on Saturday night The fireworks display was probably the attraction, although every part of the grounds, and of the buildings, appeared to be frequerlted by much larger numbers than usual. Several thousand people spent the whole evening in that portion of the grounds which has come to be pleasantly associated with the Royal Artillery Band. A most attractive programme was played, but it so happened that the same slope also formed an admirable viewpoint from -which to watch the fireworks display. The consequence was that as nine o'clock approached thousands more flocked round to the slope that runs from the back of the Concert Hall down to the district courts. A warning 'bomb was sounded at ten minutes to nine, and another,*" at one minute before nine o'clock. In th:e connection it may be questioned whether loud explosions are really an attractive feature of the fireworks display. A noise, unaccompanied by any ocular demonstration to justify the"outrage upon an otherwise pleasant evening, probably appeals only to a limited number of people, and seems to be an unnecessary expenditure of latent force.

The fireworks demonstration lasted for about half an hour, and •Wαs a very gay affair during taht time. There was no periods of waiting, and the air was kept alive with brilliant lights and whizzing streaks- of sparks at sufficiently unexpected intervals to keep everyone in a state of interested expectancy. Those who were not too keenly anxious to eeo all the beginnings of these marvels could always lie back on the warm turf and admire the colour effects on a glorious midsummer sky. One had to pull his attention from the heavens to watch the fire balloons, the flight of which was hardJy triumphal, but for the rest the display wae one that met with the entire approval of the thousands of spectators. ATTRACTIONS TO COME. Special events to make the Exhibition additionally attractive will be an openair orchestral concert by the Royal Artillery Band, and an amateur athletic sports meeting on Wednesday evening; a "children's day"' on Friday; und a grand military tattoo on. Saturday night. The last-named event promises to be Bonrething out of the ordinary. It was suggested by the leader of the Woolwich band (Mr. Btretton), as a means whereby a dozen- or so bands might perform together, and the details of torchlight, territorial, and , naval items have been worked up with an idea of making the carnival a, memorable one. On January 29, Foundation Day, a public flight in the defence monoplane Britannia will be given by Mr. J. J. Hammond. The dates fixed for the Exhibition Dog Show are Jan. 29, 30, and 31.