DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19197, 10 December 1925, Page 14

DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN. BIG MOVEMENT ON FOOT. GOVERNMENT CO-OPERATION. [BY TET.EGIIAT'H. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNE DIN. Wednesday. It was stated by the chairman at a meeting of the Technical College Board to-day that tho Governor-General had expressed the opinion that every child should have an opportunity of visiting the exhibition and that a committee had been set up in Dunedin to further a ijiovemont to that end. The Government had decided' that during February and March time spent hv children at tho exhibition would be counted as attendance at school. If a largo number of children camo to Dunedin accommodation would have to bo provided for them, the chairman said. Tho schools would be occupied at that time and it would be necessary to look for other places. Those who had taken up tho movement had given an undertaking to the exhibition directors to find accommodation for 500 or 600 children for one week. The idea was that children could leave home say in Auckland on a Monday morning and arrive in Dunedin on the Tuesday. They could remain until the following Friday morning and be back in Auckland on Saturday night. If any part of the board's buildings could be set aside for the purpose indicated he hoped such would be made available, lho scheme had not taken definite "shape yet, nothing having been decided upon. Mr. Steel said it would bo a great help if Burns Hall could be made available. In the course of discussion it was stated that the visitors would bo pupils of the fourth and fifth standards. It was decided that the question of accommodation be left ui the hands of the chairman and directors. PERFORMANCE 05* " MESSIAH." A CRITIC MUCH IMPRESSED. [by telegraph.—phess association.] DUNEDIN Wednesday. "It could have run for a month," was the judgment of an experienced Dunedin critic on last evening's performance in the - Festival Hall at the exhibition of Handel's "Messiah." The Dunedin Choral .Society and Male Choir, with members from the Exhibition Choir, combined their strength for the event under the baton of Dr. V. E. Galway, and the solo parts were taken by specially engaged exhibition singers, Madame. Winnie irazer, soprano, Madame Irene Aiusley, contralto, Mr. Arthur Jordan, tenor, and Mr. Harison Cook, bass. Mr. Jordan was in magnificent form, surpassing his previous performances, and the chorus singing, in the opinion of the critic, was the best ever heard in Dunedin. The stage in the Festival Hall will now be cleared for the Diggers' Costume Comedy Company, who start a four weeks' season on Saturday. Tho fourth week of the exhibition commenced yesterday with an attendance of 13,9£9. The attendance for the first three weeks was 312,738, which, it is claimed, sets a new record in exhibition history <ii New Zealand. Beautiful weather prevails, auguring well ior the success of tho display of physical drill on the exhibition sports ground, in which 3000 children from tho primary schools of the city are taking part. ACCOMMODATION CHARGES. A REASSURING STATEMENT. [BY TELEGTIAFH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ]

DUNEDIN, Wednesday. The confusion which existed in regard to accommodation in Dunedin during tho exhibition period seems to be clearing and tho reliability of the reports of excessive charges which were general in other centres have been shown to have little foundation in actual fact. The threats to the success of the exhibition should such ideas as to unreasonable expense entailed in a visit gain general credence was very real, and the suspicion that accommodation houses were grasping the opportunity to dip a hungry hand into tho pockets of visitors aroused much indignation in the city. Reliable information respecting the actual position is available, and it can be safely stated that reasonable and even cheap board can be secured. The hotels have advanced their prices bv three or four shillings a day, and accommodation ranges in these from fourteen to twenty-five shillings a day. This capacity ox absorption is by now extremely limited, bookings having been made of their space over the greater part of the exhibition period. Tho regular boarding house keepers undoubtedly had visions of a golden harvest, and propaied with enthusiasm for the financial fleecing of the horde of pleasure-seekers, but the pleasant prospect has vanished, because Dunedin has adapted itself 'to tho conditions demanded by an influx of large numbers. Many people with a couple of spare rooms have made arrangements to place' those at the disposal of those requiring them. The number who have adopted this course must be very considerable, as comfortable permanent board and lodging is readily obtainable round about thirty-five shillings a week. Despondency now reigns m the ranks of those who raised tlieir rates beyond the capacity of their hoarders, who were forced to seek fresh homes, and many houses are advertising vacancies. A gentleman who advertised for a room and breakfast for a fortnight inserted a shilling advertisement and received 61 replies. The majority quoted 6s a day, manv ss, and some 7s 6d. Full boaid can be obtained at from 3os to £o 10s.