THE FAIR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 111, 7 November 1906, Page 7

THE FAIR.

CRITICISM BLOSSOMING. VARIOUS SIDELIGHTS. (From Our Speeal Reporter.) CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. Now that the Fair has swiing under Way, various critics are pointing to minor grievances. It is complained that the Jack of plans of the buildings is causing .inconvenience. The corridors and avenues are not named — not even with the fearsome Maori titles — and there aro no charts nor cicerones. Th-srsfore, tho casual explorer is rather at a loss in finding his way about. Also the seating a-ccOmmodation i& strictly limited. The Lyttelton Times complains that the mnn who reclines on the bench that islets bis eye cannot rest without paying a fee. This jdurnal complains of a general fleecing policy. The leaving 'of " conveniences " to private enterprise is also ufoUsing s'.renuou'i adverse comment. BriSfly, it ni&y be said that while large matters have received attention, ths lit* Ale tilings have been uegkoted, and, as Gilbert Chesterton and others maintain, it is the little things that matter. THE MAORI PA. tto-day, the t?ost reporter was conversing with Mr. Wi fiepa, a student of Otagd University, whd is Staying with Dr. Buck at the" Maori pa. Mr. Wi Repa says that- th*s pa is absolutely realistic, but he regtets that there are no guides to explain the mysteries and Commonplaces to pakehas. THE "CASUAL COLONIAL." THk only emphasises the point, which Is growing* biggtir day by day, that there is rather "too much of the "casual colonial " about the minagement of the Ex^ Hbition. The other day, for instance, when the grand orchestra appeared to (jive its ■first Conc&rt, there was no audience, excepting two or three casual persons, and the hedges nnd the highways had to be beaten to g«2t> a crowd together. The reason for this fiasco was the, neglect to advertise. Another illustration of this haphazard principle is furnisied by one of th 3 evening papers today in the following paragraph .'-— " The conditions of admission io the Art Gallery are a&fc generally knoirfl. The charge is sixpence on 'Monday^ Tuesdays, and W*d&esdays, and a shilling on Fridays, adnilssidn" being free on Thursdays and Saturdays." Another example is £ tiny notice on one of the walls outi tide .warning very keen-« Ted persons that a t»4& will nng fifteen minutes before the Exhibition closes. Other hostile comments are associated with the issue of season tickets recently, and altogether it- is not hard to cite a number of things that demand an improvement in ■■ the management. This criticism is char' Hably worded; it could be easily made more harsh. ON THE WARPATH. Sir John Gorst and other notables were entertained by Maoris at the pa this afternoon. The natives were Gtnpped to the waist, and they wore native mats, but the old ''tie appearance was spoilt by the presence of boots on some of tie braves. They gafo bakas and various chants id vigorous style, thoroughly interesting the spectators. Subsequently the " star " goeets were, given a passage on Great Taberetikitiki around the. lake, and the pretty veaeel vr«& p*ddled to {he music of ancient canoe songs. The Rarotong&Es also submitted songs of welcome. Ifibassitely but melodiously they chanted. They were ac cairn, as the sndit stoical Red Indiuis of fiction. The applause of the populace did not move them to smile even faintly. They were tired. They gang to make a pakeha holiday, and they sang better than the Maoris, bat they did it altogether without any passion. PLENTY OF SPACE. Since the exhibits have settled into their places, an observer gets an impression that there is abundance of space. A large crowd is simply swallowed up in tie aYfrnuec, corridors, ani minor alley-ways. A multitude is engulfed as completely as Jonah was submerged in the whale. Is the building too large for itself? One is inclined to think that a structure ccmBiderably legs pretentious- in length and breadth, adequately Ventilated, woutd have sufficed. LABELS. Persons who remember the Dunedin Exhibition,. remark that the present fair lbcks the illuminating labelling that characterised the exhibits at the Southern festival. Certainly there 'is room for information in the way of placards in most of the courts. MINERALS. Canada's magnificent display of minerals rather saddens patriotic New Zealanders with the thought that their country has not done itself justice. There is a good array of New Zealand minerals in the main building, but the displays ore scattered. It is felt that New Zea-' land should keep a show collection ermaaaently, just a3 Canada, does. Indeed, the Dominion Can give this country a» fescon in the way to set out exhibits. I'HE COMMISSIONER TROUBLE. The Premier and Messrs. IWlds and M'Gowau sat in conference with Mftsgrs. W., Reeoe and G. T. Booth, local commiasioners, to-day in reference to the grievances against Mr. Munro. Ift i 4 understood that the proceedings lasted % considerable tiiae, and ft. meeting '.rill be called soon to consider the whole position. It is regarded aa a ligniflcant detail that Mr. Munro was not. invited to attend to-day'a deliberations.