THE EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15483, 15 December 1913, Page 9

THE EXHIBITION.

VISITORS TO DATE, 125,000. ART GALLERY. REOPENED. FINE MUSIC BY THE BAND. Tun improvement in the weather on Saturday, combined with the fact that it was the usual weekly half-holiday, resulted in a very large attendance at tho Exhibition. During the day 19.032 persons passed through the gates. Of this number 6401 held season tickets or attendants' passes, whilst 10,909 ' adults and 1722 children actually paid for admission. On the opening day of tic Exhibition 12,744, and on Saturday week 13,665 persons paid at the gales. Just over 1000 of Saturday's visitors paid to go into the aquarium. On Sunday afternoon a total of 1154 persons (1084 adults and 70 children) paid for admission, compared with 3722 on tho previous Sunday. This brings the total paid admissions since the Exhibition opened to 88,304. The total attendance for tho whole period is estimated at over 125,000, tho Exhibition having been open for exactly a fortnight.

The 6ceno in the grounds on Saturday was animated in the extreme. A fair number were present in the afternoon, but from 6 p.m. onwards for two hours there was a perpetual stream of people pouring through the turnstiles. During the evening every part of tho Exhibition seemed to be packed with people. The band attracted a crowd of between 7000 and 8000, the majority of whom were forced to stand or to sit on the ground, as the number of seats provided was quite inadequate Some of those who managed to secure seats were not as fortunate as they seemed, as.a fair number of the chairs, some of which are of far too' flimsy construction, collapsed.

'Juo amusement portion of the Exhibition attracted its full quota of visitors, every building was thronged to overflowinc. and whenever tho fairy fountain played there were thousands on tho terraces to witness the spectacle. The art gallery, having been completely rearranged, was opened again to the public on Saturday. , The charge for admission has been reduced to 6d tor adults awl 3d for children. This has proved to be a popular change, as tho gallery was visited bv a large number of people on Saturday. The main gallery and two small rooms have been completed, and are well stocked with paintings. One of the rooms has been set apart for water-colours, tho main gallery and the second room- containing oils. A catalogue has been prepared, and will shortly be available, -Uiich contains particulars of the 208 pain' displayed. At the far end of the 'l/| 5 of industries will be found a new »A,]gement of tho entries in the home i ies section. These will be ready byk v, and include beautiful example"'/ i kinds of fancy-work and sewing /*>f < The technical and ,\ branch of the Education Depart/ i hibit has been further augment additional exhibits being placed { '-rth wall of the agricultural coiL , ROYAL ARTIL 'BAND. ATTRACTIVE, fojjSRAMMES.

The high-wat*'OS»k of interest in the musical do CB j .<f tho band of the Royal Regiment Artillery was reached on Saturday ni, fl , when a record crowd surrounded th- bandstand to listen to a programme which embraced many masterpieces from their apparently unlimited repertoire. Through the medium of this fine body of instrumentalists, the public has in the past two weeks become conversant with , the scores of many of the leading lights of music. All the selections are marked with a perfection of technical interpretation • which would, bo quito unattainable by any body, of musicians possessing less capability or less ripe experii ence. Bandmaster Stretton wields an almost magnetic influence over his players, being able to command practically every tone gradation. Among the many good things on Saturday night was Haines's "Suite of Woodland Dances," played with a delightful refinement of tone quality. In Wallace's overture to "Montana" some surprising crescendo and diminuendo effects were secured. The gorgeous tonecolouring of Wagner's " Entry of the God's into Valhalla" was pronounced. The brilliancy of the reed executants was shown in many of the passages, while the treatment of the complex part playing was all that could be desired.' Paderewski's popular "Minuet" was effectively given. Some striking orchestral effects were forthcoming in a selection from Leoncavallo's " Pagliacci," while the sharp precision displayed in Chopin's "Polonaise" in A," was occasionally tempered by a judicious recourse to tempo rubato. A particular feature of the programme was Tschaikowski's famous " 1812 " overture, and the fact that the graphic music was to be supplemented by military "effects," including the firing of bombs, etc.-, no • doubt attracted many to the grounds. These were scarcely as effective as could bo wished. It is a moot point whether in. any caso the effect of the music is materially enhanced by their inclusion, since the attention, for the time, is taken from the beauties of the dramatic score. All the episodes of this musical picture were sot forth with consummate skill, particularly impressive being the "battle" section, and tho final treatment of the Russian Hymn, with its crashes of harmony, to an accompaniment of tubular bells. No sooner was the latter portion repeated in response to tho insistent applause, than tho rain, which had been threatening all the .evening, came down in torrents, causing the abrupt termination of the programme.. The baud concerts on Saturday afternoon and yesterday afternoon were well attended.