THE EXHIBITION.

Evening Star, Volume 12869, Issue 12869, 19 July 1906, Page 4

THE EXHIBITION.

THE INSURANCE RATES.

[Special to the Star.] CHRISTCHURCH, July 19.

A local representative of a leading insurance company, referring to MrMunro's complaint that the proposed fire insurance rates on the Exhibition are apparently three times as much as the charges which were made on the wooden portion of the Canterbury Jubilee Exhibition buildings, and also his statement that intending exhibitors are protesting, says : " The companies, after careful consideration, had fixed certain rates which they considered quite proper and reasonable under the circumstances. The rates were 15s per cent, per month for • the main building and 7s 6d per cent, per month for the art gallery. Exhibition risks were the most hazardous as a class that companies had to deal with. He admitted that the rates for the Jubilee Exhibition were 5s per cent, per month, but claimed that the risk in that case was by no means as great as it would be in respect to the forthcoming Exhibition, the buildings of which were of a permanent character. The authorities made very complete arrangements . in the way of guarding the buildings of the Jubilee Exhibition, whioh was practically in the centre of the town and close to the fire brigade stations. The International Exhibition buildings, on the other hand, were a considerable distance from the town, and compared with the-- Jubilee Exhibition buildings they wer very much larger. He found by experience that the bigger the place the bigger the risk. The companies offered a 10 per cent, reduction if the May-Otway fire alarm system were installed, but beyond htat there was no chance of further reductions."

It is understood that Mr Alfred Hill's setting of Mr Anderson's prize ode, to be performed at the opening of the Exhibition. is not Sullivan's *Te Deum,' as originally arranged.

At a meeting of the North Canterbury Education Board yesterday Lieutenantcolonel Loveday wrote stating that, with the consent of the Minister,* he had in hand a plan for the holding of a camp of instruction for public school cadets in a park adjacent to the Exhibition. The. plan, briefly was that the cadets should go into camp a battalion at a time, the duration of each camp to be one week from ai rival. Every battalion would thus have an opportunity of visiting the Exhibition under proper control and receiving a training in camp work. As the cost of carrying oitt the scheme would be large, it was necessary that the cadets should contribute something, but the sum decided upon—los each —w-us comparatively trifling. It was explained ihat the consent of the cadets' parents would have to be obtained. The letter was referred to the Normal School Committee.

Mr Bernard Evans, R.L, has long been recognised as one of England's foremost water-color painters. His pictures of English scenery, with its velvety verdure, and Iris glimpses of the; clear, crisp, " silkv " brilliancy of the Riviera, are well known and highly appreciated. Last year the city of Bradford purchased for "its permanent collection a fine example of his work, ani the latest honor conferred on him is a request to contribute two drawings to the International Exhibition at Christchurch. These and a number of other pictures he has been showing in hife studio, 57 RedcHffe road, London. To New Zealand will go a typical Yorkshire view of historic interest— Fountains Abbey. The water and foliage in the foreground (writes our London co--respondent) are admirably managed, and lead the eye to the fine Gothic ruins, relieved against a sky of gloom and sunshine. T he second is an Early English manor house, desolate and overgrown with weeds The spirit of sadness and of neglect is finely suggested, and is intensified by the sheep that nibble the lush herbage.