TOWN EDITION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 71, 25 March 1907, Page 8

TOWN EDITION.

■^3 15?" £™Sff« QQFV S^^ifiJta TFiE EXHIBITION.

A SUCCESSFUL WEEK

THE ART GALLERY

THE CONCLUDING CEREMONY

[By Telegraph—Special Service.]

CHRISTCHURCH, March 25

The Exhibition concluded on Saturday one of the most successful weeks it has known. The attendance during" the day and evening was 15,224, making the total for the week no less than 82,900, and the aggregate to date 1,615,089. A large number of visitors arrived from Dunedin Jay the express on Saturday evening, and a heavy influx from other parts is confidently expected at Easter.

At the orchestral concert on Saturday evening the pleasing love-song from the new Maori cantata by Mr Alfred Hill was rendered by the orchestra for.the first time, Mrs Gower Burns taking the .solo. The Turakina poi dancers arrived at the Maori ~Pa on Saturday morning, and will give performances daily during their stay at the Exhibition. Their dances were very popular when given during the previous visit. The Arts and Crafts exhibits which have been sold in the Art Gallery will be removed after Monday,. April Bth. The sales of Arts and Crafts exhibits have totalled more than £900, and about hal£ the exhibits in that section have found purchasers. Mr Longden, who is in charge of the British Arb Section, states that satisfactory sales of pictures are being continued, and many visitors are keen to buy good pictures. In less than two hours on Saturday morning he had about thirty inquiries for pictures. He expects that the total sales for the Exhibition period will amount to more than £20,000.

At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Art Society on Friday night a resolution was passed that, in the opinion of this Society, the time has come when the entrance to the Art Gallery of the Exhibition should be free, except on one day of the week. It was further decided to approach the Government with a view of endeavouring to secure free admittance to the gallery by working members and exhibiting artists. Mr Longden, interviewed on these proposals, said he was entirely in sympathy with the Society's wishes. He thought the opening of the Art Gallery might be the means of increasing the sale of exhibits, and that it would be beneficial to-the Exhibition, which charged a commission of ten per cent, on all sales. The Society was wise in suggesting that there should be one charge day, for that would allow artists and others specially interested to inspect the exhibits at their leisure. At present the charge for admission to the gallery is 6d on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and Is on Fridays, and admission is free on Thursday and Saturday. Mr Munro, General Manager, expresses himself strongly averse to any change, on the ground that the present arrangement is proving eminently satisfactory. The next display of London fireworks will take pi-ico on V. rednesday night, accompanied by the massed bands pei--formance and the repetition of fighting the flames. The third and last display of daylight fireworks will be given next Saturday afternoon. Arrangements are being made to hold the closing ceremony in connection with the Exhibition on Monday, April loth. It is expected that'the Australian Squadron will take part, and-.the Governor, as Patron of the Exhibition, will present the certificates of awards gained for exhibits. It is not suggested thai his Excellency will present each successful exhibitor with his award, but a formal presentation of awards will be made to a committee appointed by the exhibitors to receive them.

A prominent Victorian merchant and manufacturer, who has made a prolonged inspection of the Exhibition, expresses his surprise at the extent and high quality of the display of manufactured goods by Canterbury firms. "Altogether," he says, "I think the Exhibition very creditable, and I shall go away with a far better opinion of New Zealand than I had before I arrived here." .

Now that the Fire Brigades' demonstration is concluded, the sports ground will be prepared for the football matches to be played there on Easter Saturday and Easter Monday. There will be five of these altogether, against Dunedin and Wellington Clubs. On the same two days., concerts will be given by the Dunedin Philharmonic Society, and Easter Monday will see the largest Band of Hope Union demonstration that has yet been held in Christchurch, and a magnificent fireworks display crowning the whole series.