THE EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 6052, 9 November 1906, Page 7

THE EXHIBITION.

NEWS FROM THE FAIR. THE MARIE NARELLE INCIDENT. Mr F. Shipman, who is manager for Miso Narelle. and also proprietor of the concession known as “The Pike,” makes tho following statement regarding the free performances of the Exhibition orchestra in the main corridor during Miss Narclle’s concerts; —Mr G. S. Mnnro, chairman or the Executive Commissioners, has suddenly become very wideawake to the fact that tbe public is demanding free music. This may be a tribute to your own enthusiasm in the cause of music, but it is at least a little, significant that he should have chosen the opening night of Miss Narelle’s concerts for his first free orchestral' concert. There was nothing in my contract to prevent Mr Munro arranging for a series of counter attractions if he so chose, but as tho appearance of Miss Narelle was arranged with tho Commissioners, and they were to get a substantial percentage of the takings, it was only natural to assiirao that they would not do anything to militate against the season of Miss Narelle. Under the circumstances, as there is apparently no Caesar to appeal to, Miss Narelle regretfully declines to sing. It will be obvious to anybody that the holding, of a free orchestral concert almost at the doors of tho concert hall would seriously affect the attendance at the concert. Outside the deliberate discourtesy to Miss Narclle, tho action of the Commissioner seems to be. aimed at the success of the Narelle concerts. His sudden enthusiasm for tho public will bear no. other interpretation. Mr Munro to-day issues the following manifesto on the dispute;—Until 10 o’clock last night, I knew nothing of Mr Shipman’s objection to tho Exhibition orchestra providing the public with some free music in the main corridor of tho Exhibition buildings. Without admitting the reasonableness of the objection—indeed, I consider it most unreasonable—l suggested to Mr Shipman that the orchestra should play from 7to 8 o’clock only, or not commence until 8.30, so as to interfere as little as possible with hie concert, but nothing' short of the total suppression of the orchestra would be accepted by Mr Shipman. The Exhibition’s patrons are clamouring for more music, both inside and outside of the buildings, and in my opinion rightly so. The occupation of the concert hall by Mr Shipman made the orchestra available for the first time for playing elsewhere, and in tho best interests of the Exhibition, and those who are daily paying admission, I was bound to take advantage of it. Mr Shipman’s position is a little selfish, to say tho least of it, as there are numbers of people attending this Exhibition who could not possibly attend his concert. The attendance to-night" will probably be 10,000, ’ while the concert hall only seats 1600. Mr Shipman might just as reasonably have demanded that the water-chute or the cyolorama. should he stopped, and perhaps he might, in deference to Miss Narelle, have closed his “Pike” on both nights. To-night the concert hall was empty, and the orchestra played before an audience of about two thousand people in the main corridor. While visiting the South Australian court on Wednesday Mr H. J. Scott, Commissioner for that State, asked Lady Ward to select any one of the shell trophies from the Northern Territory. Her Ladyship selected a handsome polished, shell of a sea tortoise or hawkhUl turtle. The Governor- went through “Wonderland’’ to-day, shooting the ’chute, running the toboggan, and risking the Katzenjammer. . The attendance at the Exhibition today was 14,998. This brings up the total to. date to-, over 122,000, or an average of 17,500 per day. As ten thousand per day is expected to yield a good profit, the attendance to date is highly satisfactory.. It is understood that the difficulty amongst the Commissioners will be got over by the continued presence in Christchurch during the Exhibition season of at least one 1 member of tho Cabinet to whom the Commissioners will have right of appeal in cases of dispute. - REPLY TO A WELLINGTON CRITIC. GOOD FUN FOR THE MONEY. I would like (writes our representative at Christchurch) to reply to the expressions of opinion given by a Wellington visitor to the " Exhibition in Tuesday morning’s “Times.” He said that he noticed a “lack of vitality in Hagley Park.” Now, if there is a spot in New Zealand that has been vitalised to an extraordinary degree it is that part of Hagley Park surrounding the Exhibition, where the side-show proprietors are jubilant at the returns the swarms of visitors produce. Outside “Wonderland” and “The Pike” there is the Maori pa, a great camera obscura, a monster cyclorama, a “Laughing .gallery,” the “House of Trouble,” and dozens, of other bright attractions. Further, tho critic states there are no attractions- for children. What about the dragon, the toboggan, marionettes, the.camels, the helter-skelter, kinemato-gi-aph show's, and other amusements eminently suitable for the entertainment of the young He also says “there is not a band to he heard.” Yesterday (Tuesday) afternotm I counted three bands in tho grounds, in addition to which there was an orchestral concert in the hall, with pianolas, musi-cal-boxes, and other joyful sound-pro-ducero within the building. In general terms," your critic jeers at the lack of management. Ho must, indeed. be a very close observer, for the members of the press., are all unanimous that, broadly speaking, the-man-agement is good, though improvements might ho made in detail, such as advertising .the- concerts, etc. It is not very fair, either, to ho ultra-critical during the first'week - "of a tremendous undertaking such an this Exhibition. I can assure the Wellington public that tho Exhibition far exceeds the anticipations of 95 per cent, of the visitors, and provided one is prepared to spend money, there is ho necessity to entertain any fear that the Exhibition is dispensing -dull' times.

Mr H. F. Allen, secretary to 'the Wellington Exhibition Committee, who returned from a visit to the Exhibition yesterday,. has a very definite reply to the statement that this city is not well represented by exhibitors. If all the Wellington' exhibits were put together, he says, and made into one court,- they would make the other, centres of the

colony look very small. Mr Allen confirms "tho opinions expressed already as to points in the management of the Exhibition that want altering, instancing the lack of catalogues or guides, the paucity of advertisement, especially of the fine orchestral concerts, the too email size of the concert hall (the plans of which are alleged to have been spoilt by making them smaller), extortionate prices, and other defects. Mr Allen points out that unless Wellington makes a move it will find itself unable to secure any of the best pictures for sale in the British art section. New South Wales, Victoria, and Canterbury are all buying very largely.

In connection with the special excursion of the Marnroa next Friday to Lyttelton, carrying passengers at £1 for the round trip, the Exhibition art gallery will ho open to-morrow week freo of charge. A special attraction on that day at the Exhibition will he the cyclorama.