AT THE EXHIBITION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1187, 24 July 1911, Page 8

AT THE EXHIBITION.

EXHIBITORS' DAY, HUGE ATTEXDAXCE-OGIS. On Saturday tho Exhibition Commissioners ha.-ided over the big enterprise lo a syndicate of exhibitors. It was Exhibitors' Day. The. exhibitors paid the Commissioners £110 for Hip "pale," and ran tin- thow for the day. 11. was a now idea, wilh a speculative interest in it to ,-])iir Ihe efforts of those who had guaranteed Iho -CllO. Kesult-a huge attendance of 'Jiil.'i persons ami complete shcfp>s. Evny person who by a. lucky coincidence chanced to be Ihe first, sccoad, third, and so on thousandth, to pass through the turnstiles was 'presented with a watch. Nino watches were captui'pd beforo Iho doors closed at 10 o'clock, the following being tho recipients:— Miss Myra Tee, 17 Goring Street; >la?r ter K. liavis, Herbert Street, Pelone; Mrs. Budwick, Kichmond Street, Fetono; Mr. G. Thurkell. Oriental Bay; Mrs. Austin, Hamilton lioad, Kilbirnie; Miss Hutching, Kelburne; Mr. P. M'Closky, 21 Tinakori Road; Mr. Ken Tucker, "Willis Street; Miss C. Craighead, 99 Ecvans Street. To add fresh interest ■to the attendance, a guessing competition was held, a prize of ,£lO being offered to the person w'i'o made the nearest estimate to tho total attendance. The actual figures were 9615. Mr. M. Kitcli, 72 Hoppcv Street, put it down at 9607, aad was awarded the .£lO prize. The programme of events for Exhibitors' Day was full of variety, for the syndicate of enthusiasts had boomed their day with excellent effect. There was a Ixiby show (reported elsewhere), children's competitions, decorated tables, a grand gymnastic carnival at tho Stadium, and various other side-snows.

COMPETITIONS FOR CHILDREN. There is something about a competition —no matter what the subject may be-— whicli always makes an appeal to children. This spirit, was capitally illustrated at tho sinking and reciting competitions for school children held in the Coronation Theatre on Saturday morning, in honour of Exhibitors' Day. "Daddy," said ono little girl, approaching her father, "I would like to Tecite." "But wouldn't y-iu bo frightened to go upon the stage?" asked the parent. "No—l wouldn't l>9. frightened to recite 'Wynkera, Blynken, and Now.'" But it could not be, as the child had not entered, and her disappointment was intense. Tho competitions were really well conducted, and wore mast successful. The only obvious mistake made was that the judges sat on the stage, behind the competitors, a'nd therefore their judgment was based only on that which came to them orally, anil tho effect of facial expression and gesture could not very well be taken into consideration. Still, on the whole, tho decisions were agreed to be pretty correct, and met with flic approbation of tho largo audience present. Tlio task of the judges can bo understood better when it is slated that there were twenty-five cnfries for tho singing competition, and sixty for the reciting can test. Tliero wero shy girls and bold girls, big girls, and little ones, girls who wanted lo snuggle out of sight nearly under the. accompanist's arm, and others with unbounded confidence, who took \\\o stage with the air of a Melba._ There were tiny pin-point voices, which whispered something that was a secret to all savo the accompanist, and. others with bold voices evidently obsessed with the opinion that they were apostles of a new form of lieder. ' A charming little tot in white, who 'sang a song of red roses sympathetically and . well, deserved tho prize .she got. The reciters were a legion. It was thought, that the procession of elocutionists in embryo would nover end. The selection of pieces ranged from "The Dandy Fifth" (without which no reciting competition would bo complete) to little one-ver>o scraps from thn First Primer (recited with action). Most of them wero inaudible a dozen yards away, but tho audienre endured the performance with wonderful equanimity, and each aspirant received a dad ha.'id , or two from the audience. The competitions lasted from 9 n.m. until 1 p.m., with a break at midday for a performance of the ancient and honourable drama of "Punch and Judy." The following wero the nrizo-winuers (all of whom received a silver medal):—

Singing.—Eunice- Wyatt, Mnrjorie .Tiyios, Wynri Watkins. Thomas Clements, Mary Gamble.

Kccitiii". —Rao Barnes. Mary Doyle, Violet Johnston, ' Gwendoline Look, .Toon Muir Edwards Tonks. Leonard Power. F. 13. Pearson, Linda. Rountroe, Clarence Stopbridgp. Winnie Sanson, Bertha Cross, and Eva I?re?.

Messrs. H. ~W. Lloyd and G. Tliomns judged tho reciting, and Mr. Meadows the singing.

GYMNASTIC CARNIVAL. Under Mr. J. W. M. Harrison's supervision, a grand gymnastic carnival was held in the Stadium in the evening, before a large attendance. The display was an imposing one, very attractive to witness, and rising tu the heights of the spectacular in the- grand finale, "Tho Pageant of All Nations," depicting the. arrival of the oversea representatives at the throne of Britannia, the salutation and review, marching evolutions, a Spani'h Castanet dance, a grand march, "Rule Britannia," and "God Save the King." The various displays preceding the finale included wand exercise?, flying rings, club drill, vaulting the horse, a pretiy gymnasium gavotte, Indian club display, an interesting display of Sandow's method of muscle cullnre, and a running maze. The costumes and colour harmonies wore arranged hv Mesdames Hamerton and Kreel't. while the musical accompaniments were supplied by Clarke's orchestra. LIVING BRIDGE. The spectacular entertainment "Living Bridge," which proved such a "draw" at the 'Exhibition a few days ago, is, by. general request, to bo repeated in the Sladium to-morrow evening. The public, will have the opportunity of seeing .a living representation, of tho fashionable game of "bridge" actively carried out by a number of young ladies costumed, to represent the kings, queens, jacks, aces, and all the cards of the pack. The actual game will-be played by Dr. Newman, Messrs. T. Duncan, J. H. N. A. Burns, and A. E. White. These gentlemen will be located so as to see and play the game, but their opponents' cards will be screened from their view, but not from, the audience, by means of marching evolutions taught them by Mr. J. W. M. Harrison. The ladies will 'cut, shuffle, and deal themselves, and in conjunction with the firit and last, grand marches will actively display their cifectivo costumes, arranged by Mrs. Hamerton. A rubber of three hands will be played, and tricks ajul points recorded." Very low muslin screens will be used, and special attendants will be appointed to cope with the crowd, so (hat a clear nud complete view ot the. play will bo obtainable

An attraction at Hie Exhibition i< (he beautiful of Mr. F. W Mmitk-y. of Mount Albert It consist." of an oxquisito variety of Australiasiin shells that have ten worked lnln artistic designs by the exhibitor, consistin* of plioto frames, hmdkcychieboxes, ami ornaments of many kinds. us oxhibit. shodrt draw considerable attention from patrons.—Advt.