THE EXHIBITION

Evening Star, Issue 13013, 7 January 1907, Page 6

THE EXHIBITION

[Br Tixebraph.] BESSES O' THH BARN BAND. THE FAER. AS A TRAINING GROUND. CHRISTCHURCH, January 6. The attendance at the Exhibition on Saturday was 12,293, making the total for the week 103,531, which well exceeds the Christinas week's aggregate of 90,981, and represents the highest weekly total since the opening week. A large number of visitors, especially from Dtmedin and Wellington, have bought season tickets during the iast few days. The chamber music concert by the orchestra on Saturday afternoon was well attended, and it is agreed that the orchestra has improved 20 per cent, as such since its members have been playing together. The first evening popular concert was very saccessfullv given by the orchestra. Miss Phcebe Parsons, and Mr W. H. Montgomery. Mr Massey, organist of the Bathurst Cathedral, who gives his first recital on Monday evening, expresses a very high opinion of the Exhibition) organ, and says that- New Zealand is fortunate in. possessing two such instruments as those in the Wellington Town Hall and the Exhibition. He has not been much accustomed to electrical equipment, hat considers it an excellent feature. After hearing the orchestra Mr Massey. says it is a remarkably fine one, and we are very fortunate in having it here. The dog show on Saturday (people's day) was very well attended. Pain's London fireworks can be seen on Monday night, when an elaborate display will be given. The programme* for these displays will be varied on each occasion, and a number of attractive novelties will be shown each time.

The Besses o' the Barn Band will give its first performance on Thursday night, when the following programme will be rendered: March, ' Zealandia,' specially composed for the band's New Zealand visit by its conductor, Mr Owen; overture, ' Poet and Peasant' (Von Snppe) ; Comet polka, ' CJopatra' (Detnore) ; grand selection Rossini's wor&s; waltz, ' Jeunesse Doree' (WaudfreufeT) ; trombone solo, ' Death of Nelson' (Braham) ; operatic selection, ' The Geisha' (Henry Jones); national fantasia, 'Reminiscences of England' (Godfrey) ; ' God save the King.' It i? proposed to make next Thursday bandsmen's day at the Exhibition. Six local bands will take part in the reception to the Besses o' the Barn Band, and s the Exhibition authorities will give every facility to make the function as effective and popalar as possible. Later on the general manager proposes to organise similar davs and nights in connection with the fire brigade, the volunteers, and the friendly societies, and. if possible, to arrange for an old colonists' day. It has now been decided that a limited number of matinee performances shall be •given in the concert hall. The first of these will take place on Friday next. Wonderland is organising another of its exciting series of toboggan rares for next Wednesday night. This time ladies' doubles will be the form taken by the contests, and valuable prizes will be given. Mr Donne, superintendent of the Tourist Department, in expressing in an interview his disappointment that New Zealanders, and especially school children, have not made better use of the Exhibition, says that as an educational institution the valne of the Exhibition is simply incalculable, and he sincerely hopes this will be realised by every school committee in the colony before" it is too late. Referring to the love of knowledge and the mental alertness which are characteristic of the American nation, and which might bo ingrafted with advantage on the mind of the young New Zeakuider, Mr Donne says-: " For this purpe«<e I know of no better "training ground than the New Zealand International Exhibition. It is to bo regretted, of coureo, that all countries are not so fully and so adequately represented as New South Wales and Canada, but. still enough is shown to be of great valne in broadening the mind and developing the intelligence, and so far as New Zealand herself is concerned, the displays made by many of the Government departments are wonderfully completed and informative, to make no mention of the private exhibits. If so great an opportunity is missed by the school children from end to end of the colonv, it will be a matter of lasting regret. - '