NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13421, 25 February 1907, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION.

SOME COMING EVENTS

FIREWORKS AND FIRE BRIGADE

COMPETITIONS

[BY TELEGRAPH.— correspondent.]

Christchtjrch, Sunday. The attendance at the Exhibition was again a bit; one on Saturday. There was a. large audience at the organ recital given by Mr. W. M. Monk, Hie Sydney organist. Mr. Monk was assisted by his brother, a member of the Exhibition orchestra, who played several violin .solos. In the evening a. vocal and instrumental concert was giv*n, at which Mrs. Arthur Mead acquitted herself well as a vocalist.

The arrival of 122 Hawke's Bay Maoris had added to the population of the pa. They will give performances of pois, hakas, and war dances daily, during their stay.

The Amateur Athletic Association's championship meeting was concluded on the sports ground on Saturday, in the presence of about 1000 spectators. The second season of the Besses o' th' Barn Band will commence on Thursday next, and performances Mill be gives every afternoon and evening ill the sports ground during their fortnight.'.s visit.

Extensive preparations are being made for the display of daylight fireworks, which is to take place next Saturday. These lireworks, which are an entire novelty to New Zealand, are a Japanese invention. Shells will be thrown up into the air, where they will burst, emitting lighting cocks, horses and riders, birds and fish, swarms of butterflies, and many other curious contents. Special arrangements are being made to enable the school children to witness this exhibition, and a record attendance of young people is expected. Arrangements are now almost complete for a motor car gymkhana, to be held by the Canterbury Automobile Association on the Exhibition sports ground, on March 9. A large number of care will take part in a. procession through the city to the Exhibition, and the programme of competitions will include some highly novel events. The Besses o' th' Barn Band will play on the rotunda as an additional attraction.

Entries fur the pot show, to be held in Wonderland on Friday, March 8, close on March '1. Already a large variety of pets have been entered. Shilling tickets for the pet show will admit to Wonderland and the Exhibition*.

A week of fire brigades' competitions, which will take place on the sports ground, commencing March 19. should be one of the the most important, the exhibition has yet seen. Teams from 80 brigades will take part in the contests. One hundred brigades altogether will be represented, and over 800 firemen will be engaged in the competitions. On the evening of Tuesday, March 19, a. water display will be given on Victoria. Lake on highly novel lines. The lake will be surrounded by fire brigade steamers, and 12 or 14 branches of hose will be led to the centre of the lake, whence they will throwup powerful jets of water to a height of 150 ft, making the lake resemble one. gigantic fountain, whose columns will be lighted from beneath by changing coloured pieces, Roman candles, and other pyrotechnic devices. On the following evening 100 boats containing firemen discharging fireworks, will form a procession on the river, led by two motor launches currying the teams' bands. On Thursday evening an elaborate water display will be given with the entire Christchurch plant, and on Friday night, when the prizes will be presented by judges. 1000 firemen and guests will dine together publicly in the main corridor. Tn the course of. the water display it is intended to send up 2500 gallons a minute, and another novel feature will be a test of all the chemical engines in the Exhibition. Buildings will be erected of different sizes on the sports ground, which will be set, tire to, and flames extinguished by different engines in. the presence of competent judges, who will time the respective performances and decide which chemicals are most efficient for, their work.