THE FAIR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 112, 8 November 1906, Page 7

THE FAIR.

/ PDgS AND ENDS. (From Our Special Seporier.) CHRISTCHURCH," Wednesday. Counter extractions kept visitors away from the Exhibition this morning, but during, the afternoon the turnstiles again clicked merrily,' and multitudes again trooped thiaogh. Tuesday's attendance ran to 14,195, making a total of 92,000 since the fair opened. The Avon is rising. The stream has been dammed, andgqon the water front will wear something of the aspect- pourJrayed in bird's-eye views ~of the grounds. !Three of the fleet of six motor ttoats Intended" to'run "pleasure trips have tieeri placed in the water^ and will be ready for the reception of passengers by Thursday. The boats, which, are 25ft in length, and are capable of running at the rate of twelve' knots- an 'hour, will each seat twenty passengers. Accommodation for seals, sea lions and penguins is fco be found in Victoria Lake. The Fijian fire-walkers from the Island of Bega are"billed to'make'fheir firsE^apjiearance outside the colony of Fiji at the Exhibition sports ground on Mchdayj the 17th of December. Canada has been prominent in getting visits from the mightiest of the colony's inhabitants. In response to enthusiastic comments yesterday* fEe commissioners explained that the principal object of their scheme jraa to encourage trade, immigratioiCand tourist J traffic," ano\ To advertise the country generally, but in coming 'to the New Zealand Exhibition, Canada desired only to increase the trade between the countries and to strengthen the bpnds of Empire. Incidentally in "strengthening* the bonds," "Canada" ia certainly inserting a strong advertisement in the vast Hagley Park journal. Inevitably, "Tie Light of the World" has come to the fair." ' Holman Hunt's picture ' has received a good position in ! the' Art Gallery. ' ' j It is likely that the premier's oil will again calm the TTrhibition Commissioners' : storm." "There "Save' teen mystic meetings, about which pressmen can get only vague details. There is much smoke, and. according to an old proverb, there must be some fire, but the blaze is not very apparent. Eveu a very npdding acquaintance with the theory "of probabilities convinces a student that the trouble ■will be righted without knocking Mr. from bis imperial pedestal. It is a "case of peace 'at' any' price. The Hon. J. M'Gowan, who wa3 Minister in charge of the Exhibition up to the time Sir Joseph Ward returned from Europe, is back in. Wellington from Chrktchtrrch. ' Speaking io a Post reporter this morning, the hon. gentleman sold that the Exhibition is one of which New Zealand may justly feel proud/ It is, he asserts, the fin.e?fc exhibition ever held in the Southern Hemisphere. The financial results so far have" exceeded expectations, and he does not anticipate that the Government will have ecch a large deficit to face as many people imagine. No one regrets more than himself the trouble which has arisen between the commissioners. In his opinion Mr. G. 3. Munro, the Chief Commissioner, has been blamed too much for the difficulty. Mr. Munro was in a mast difficult position. He was the bafftr between the public exchequer aud the local committees, and it was almost impossible to »vcid some friction. Mr. M'Gowan is of opinion that the whole of the commissioners should be aboiushed an*} managers appointed" icfctead.' He spgais m this Bigf.f-st praise of the manner in which' Mr Alfred Hill v carrying out tba musica! .vrrangenients! Tlie- attendance' up tc» the present has betn very satisfactory, and it is bound to keep up for a considerable time if the weatb.r is not un■^ropitioua.