SCHOLARS AT WEMBLEY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 2 August 1924, Page 9

SCHOLARS AT WEMBLEY

ROCHESTER BOVS IMPRESSIONS OF THE ' GREAT EMPIRE EXHIBITION

(From Chatham (Kent) News)

On Eridav a train full of children from the Rochester Elementary Schools i left Rochester Station at nine o clock and they had a glorious day at Yveinbl (Jne of the. party, Robert Woodward, of Standard V%, Troy Town Council School, Weis invited by the editor of ho News to write -an impression of this notable visit. We cannot do better tlian let. Robert tell the story himself: Alighting from the train at Wembley Station We turned our steps in the direction of Wembley Park, whither wo proceeded with as little delay as pussiblc, having in our pockets a* detailed list- of places which, if possible, we intended to visit. Arrived in the Exlnoition grounds, we walked into the Canadian pavilion and gazed around, full ot suppress.vl wonder and admiration. In front was a moving screen depicting typical scenes in Canada, wonderful to us, but tame and commonplace to the average Canadian'. Looking tt> the right we beheld a fresh marvel of to wit the

Prince of Wales and his horse— fault’ lessly .modelled in butter, complete even to the parting of his Royal Highness s J,air. This novel exhibit lias to ho kept cool by means of special refrigerators. , Passing on, we came upon several shining lumps of rock iii glass cases. These, a. notice below informed us, were silver ore, iron ore, and golden ore respectively. So much for the mineral wealth of Canada. Now for India. Entering we saw ivory ornaments upon the walls, cut with" such exquisite delicacy that one could hardly bring oneself to believe beyond all doubt thab they'were the work of some native craftsman, and not that of some genii who plight make them vanish at any moment- I ,Slowly walking on, wo ’tame * upon some elephants’ feet , mounted upon silver stands as waste paper baskets, all made with the same

masterly touch As J trod one of the aventies I was told by an Indian .woman that, a chair, covered with gilt and gems, was made and presents! to the Prince of Wales during his Eastern tour. While I passed on I had but one question pounding at my heart: “What had induced man to think of such things?” I know not. Discovery is the best definition I can find for it. ‘ Leaving India,wo went to the Government Buildings. These to my mind me the finest in the exhibition. As soon ;,s we entered we saw a crowd of people leaning over it lew parapet and gazing, it appeared, into the depths of a well, but as we got nearer, we saw that they were looking at a map of tlie world. Tjio curious feature of this map was that it arose out of a tank of dark blue water, which represented the sea, and had tiny ships going.from port to port. Some were stranded in • mid ocean (while a baby was. christened, I suppose!) We left this wonder of wonders and proceeded along the main hall till wo came to a, table, at which a. lad.sat operating a miniature telegraph, which conveyed messages from one side of the hall to the other. Numerous scenes of battlefields were to be seen, and aviation was .fully cx * plaincd to the visitors. Among these exhibits was a model of an aeroplane, made by Short Bros., of Rochester. So the Medway Towns are not. quite for--‘gotten • after all'./ Divers’ suits .were explained, and'a side show in a recess showed a diver being lowered in order to obtain access to the bullion room of the submerged Laurentie. Suits of armour Wore placed in several corners, and upon examining them the visitor

was told' that, they were worn by such and such persons in such and such batIn Newfoundland numerous seal-fish-ing seenese were shown, and. they were so neatly executed that the sight of two seals clinging together in. nervous apprehension as a burly hunter, with spear upraised approached them, with the evident intention of inhumanly killing them; raised a lump in ones throat, which -was,'very inconvenient, especially if one was in the act of swallowing an apple.. , Australia was the lasl, but not the least on our list of namqp, so there we went. As we went through the budding we saw a gigantic cheese, weighing ‘one and a, half tons. A notice, below staled tliat. it was made, with one day s supply from ;i. ohoego. manufactory in Australia. Sparkling wines were shown in the course of leaking,.. and inode! -yuievartls- with vines laden with *, till ilieir.branches were on the verge or collapsing under their own weight.! were also shown. - • The next- stall contained baskets ol fruit of the very fniest. duality, all being the products of-old-. Aussie, pineIv this is sufficient! Uffstloipnial . to the goodness of Australia’s climate, its flora, and fauna. . We passed on and saw an old roroshnekle coach which bore the legend : “This coach was used to convey gold to the coast, from the interior of Australia.” • ■ - . *. , Having a little time to spare we went into a New Zealand cinema, the admission of which was free. \V e were 1111iihle to stay long, but wo managed to scee some interesting views of life m New Zealand,

Soon after 0 o.clock we were again in the railway carriages being carried homeward at a good rattling pace, and in due time wo arrived home and staggered to that inviting and comforting place—bed, to be sooii in the land of Nod. . I took Gs. with me, alia came bach with 55., quite a cheap day’s cnjoymnct ami education, I assure News readers.

W riting about this trip in St. Peter a Magazine for June, the Vicar (Rev. 11. lA. Hickin) savs:—‘.‘What did we like I most? There "l3 one unanimous answer I—The Queen And Prince George. They [ were there enjoving the exhibits and switchback; and’' '' making purchases. Iliad there been 110 sunshine, our dc- ! mocratie Queen would have., brought I sunshine into our hearts; bufc we were fortunate enough to choose it .'delightful day, so wo’ hail a. dciublo joy. We visited'the Palace of Arts with the Queen's doU’s-hoiise; the Palaces of Industry ,aud Engineering; India- with its magnificent courtyard ; Burma, the most won- | derful of all the buildngs; Canada and Australia; Soiftb Africa and the Gold Coast; the Government Building with I its huge, instructive. map of the world in relief, tho liners and tramps ! steaming along'the trade routes; many other buildings;’'•and wound up by occupying the. that's, on tils switchback just vacated by the Royal Party. No wonpier,wv.v.ant'.'to go agair,’