THE EXHIBITION.

Evening Star, Issue 12763, 16 March 1906, Page 1

THE EXHIBITION.

7 At a meeting of the Executive of the ExJnhition held at, Christchurch last evening the chairman (th© mayor) ■ referred to’ the apathy shown in Wellington and Dunedin, which he said contrasted, strongly with the way in which the smaller towns had responded to the invitation to exhibit. Superintendent Smith, of the Christchurch Fire Brigade, submitted a very complete scheme for safeguarding the Exhibition against fire. The report was referred to the Building Committee. The chairman of the Building Committee stated that the colonial architect and engineer-in-chief had been instructed to examine the whole of the buildings and report' to the Government. The Hon. Mr M'Gowan, Acting Minister in charge of the Exhibition, said he was delighted to find the committees were working so admirably together. He was more than pleased with the way the business had been conducted. There was a; limit to the expenditure, as they had , auditors behind them, but with regard to matters within his control he would do his best to further any they made known. Air Brett, the Executive Commissioner for Auckland, was present, and expressed regret that Auckland people had not taken up the question of exhibiting so warmly as he had hoped. This, he thought, was mainly.due to the distance from Christchurch, and certaiinly not to any feeling of provincial jealousy. 1 He thought arrangements should be made for a:direct steamer from Home to carry passengers from the North Island parts to Lyttelton during the Exhibition, us the journey from Onehunga to New Plymouth ’was not always looked forward to with pleasure. As a result of his experience of the Auckland Exhibition, be strongly advocated the larger of the two orchestras proposed. Mr Mills, Executive Commis•ruoo r/° r ®f a ß°) was unable to be present, ihe Executive reaffirmed tie opinion that tie large orchestra should be obtained. Mr .MTntyra, representative of the Internjational Exhibition, addressed a public meeting at Wanganui. Tho .Mayor' presided over a representative attendance. It was decided that the Wanganui districtshould be represented by a separate court, and a strong executive committee was appointed to further that object.