NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13304, 10 October 1906, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION

FIJIAN FIREWALKERS. . [BY TELEGBAPH. — correspondent.] ;:■■:/ :. Chkistchurch, Tuesday. The visit to Christchureh of the Fijian firewalkers will undoubtedly be a most sensational attraction at the Exhibition.' The strange.performance is remarkably rare, being given by only one family, and has been performed on only one little island in the South Seas, in Benga, in the Bay of Suva, where the fire-walking family lives. According to the Lyttelton Times the Fijian authorities, including the Commissioner, the Native Minister, and the Governor, had finally resolved not to send any of the firewalkers to New Zealand, but it was owing to the representations of Professor J. McMillan Brown, of Christchureh, while on his recent trip to the Islands, that this decision was revoked. . Twenty-five other Fijians will come to Christchureh beforehand to prepare the fireplaces, and the Maori oven," /and all the details ,of the event. < THE STEAMER SERVICES. J / f VERY COMPLETE ARRANGEMENTS. . THROUGH .BOOKING TO CHRIST- ■ ' 'U..' t ■ ■ .-■' CHURCH. •'/ : ." [BY telegraph. PßESS ASSOCIATION.] ' '"!*■?'.;. '*'' Dunedin, Tuesday. . , ...The Union Steam Ship Company long since- recognised that; it will participate largely in the conveyance of > visitors to ; 'Christchurch during exhibition time, and ~ ■ •the head office, has accordingly for some ..time past been engaged in working out a Scheme whereby it will be in a position" to put into running such a service of steamboats as will meet with all demands. The whole of the Union Steam Ship Company's ' ' steamers in the service have now undergone their annual survey, and more than the usual thorough overhaul has been given to £§ffce .-'passenger., accommodation of various --'beats. This overhauling has involved an i Expenditure, by,the company of. over £40,000! ; Wis to the actual/, running of boats during |ss!xl)it)ition time all arrangements,. have been i !'Com!pleted,-'and the-company is accordingly ;, gßcfik in '*• .'position-to., make-its announce-; *.; merits in that- direction for ' J^he''; opening £:, of the-Exhibition; on November 1, for the ,£stivices : between Lyttelton and Dunedinil --and in a less degree between Dunedin and »'-the Bluff. It' is'between Wellington and ; Lyttelton that the company expects to encounter the heaviest demands for conveyance ; of passengers. -;'ln order to meet this de- ' maud, the ferry 'steamers proper, the Mararoa and Rotomahana, will be supplemented by the Te Anau, Tarawera, and Pateena, and the intercolonial steamers as they pass through Wellington southwards. It is also the intention of the company to utilise the Maheno for running between Wellington and Lyttelton in time for the open- - ing of the Exhibition, and for race week. It is expected that when the Christchurch carnival is over there will ; be- a certain, lull in the traffic, and it is possible that the number of boats in running will then be reduced. The steamers that are taken off if occasion demands it will, however, be merely laid up in Wellington, and held in , readiness to be put into commission again within a few hours' notice. On the West Coast and Nelson service, the Arahura will make special trips from Greymouth, Westport, and Nelson, to Lytteltonj without transhipment of passengers. These trips will be continued so long as traffic warrants. . The general manager of the New Zealand Government railways has for some time past been in close communication with the Union Steam Ship Company in relation to passenger traffic arrangements, and as a result it has been arranged that intending visitors to the Exhibition from inland towns in the North Island may book from there right through to Christchurch without a break. For example, a person living in Waikato, in the North Island, will be able to apply at the local railway station and obtain a ticket which will entitle him to travel by train and by boat from there either on the east or the west coast to Christchureh. At the time of taking the said ticket the intending passenger will also be enabled to engage his berth on the boat on which he is to travel. Such an arrangement'will, it is certain, be very highly appreciated by persons living in towns away from the sea coast. As regards passengers from Australia, * the Maheno, on completion of the. overhaul now being proceeded with at Port Chalmers, leaves for Sydney, which port she leaves again on Saturday, 27th inst., for Lyttelton direct. The official visitors from the various Australian States to the forthcoming Exhibition are engaging passages on the Maheno for that particular trip. Both the Union Steam Ship Company and the Huddart-Parker Company are specially advertising her running. Arrangements have also been made for the s.s. Iliverina, Messrs. Huddart, Parker ' and Company's latest addition, to. assist in the intercolonial traffic when required. It- is anticipated that from the middle of December onwards, will he about the. busiest time for traffic, and with the resources at its command the Union Steam Ship Company anticipates no difficulty whatever in the matter of coping with that heavy demand. During the opening week the company will have in running between Wellington and Lyttelton a steam service with accommodation for no less than 6500 persons, and it can continue to handle that number each week, so long as required. Incidentally it has been arranged to withdraw from the Island trade in December next the new steamer Atua, which will be put on to assist in the Auckland to Lyttelton (East Coast) service asan addition to the time-table steamer now in running.