THE EXHIBITION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7866, 31 July 1911, Page 1

THE EXHIBITION

CLOSED ON SATURDAY A SUCCESSFUL FINISH. The New Zealand Coronation Exhibition, which opened on May 24th last, was brought to a close on Saturday evening. There was a steady stream of visitors to tho Exhibition all day, the executive having provided special attractions for the concluding hours. In the evening the scene presented was*a very lively one, and those stallholders selling goods did brisk business in tho disposal of Exhibition souvenirs of various kinds. The number who paid for admission at the turnstiles on Saturday was G 879, making a total of 1G4.G20 visitors to the Exhibition since its commencement. The cash taken for tho day amounted to .£2lB 12s 6d. CHILDREN'S CARNIVAL.

In addition to the numerous "side shows/' including a free cinematograph entertainment, a children's fancy dross carnival was held in the Stadium, during tho afternoon, this attraction drawing a very largo attendance. Children in fancy dross were admitted to the Exhibition free. Prizes were awarded to the best dressed competitors, the public being the judges. Voting ' tickets were issued to everybody who paid to go through tho turnstiles. The children were all numbered and the spectators wrote tho number they fancied on the voting cards and placed them in a ballot box at the door of the Stadium. Although only two days’ notice of the carnival was given, no fewer than 'sixty children competed, their ages ranging from about four years to fifteen. There were nearly as many characters represented as there were competitors, and some of them looked very pretty in their fancy dress. There .were fairies, goblins, Japs, Chinese,: etc., among the girls, while ,tho boys represented Indian coolies, labourers, courtiers and cowboys. A tiny dot of a girl (No. 10) droasod as a Maori woman carrying an imitation baby on her back received the largest number of votes and ■was awarded first prize—a gold-filled watch and grannv chain. No. 50, also a girl, was second with 142 votes. This competitor re-, oeived a great deal of attention from the spectators. She was dressed as an American■ cowboy and was so small that she had to be led around the competing ring. The prize was a valuable set of brushes. - . Tho following numbers also won prizes, the names of the • competitors not being .taken by tho officials No. 8, girl dressed as washerwoman, 110 votes (writing case); No. 60, gas mantle, 46 votes (bov s watch); No. 9, ‘'Titania," Queen of the Fairies, 22 votes (jewel case): No. 13, gas mantle, 22 votes (boy's, -watch); ... No. 12. girl in a harem skirt, 21 votes (jewel case); No. . 45; boy in Irish costume, 20 votes (Watch), FANCY DRESS CARNIVAL.

Crowds of-visitors were attracted to the Stadium in the evening, to the fancy dress carnival. The number of competitors was fairly large, and some of the characters were novel and original. Dancing went on merrily for a couple of hours. The prizes were awarded by a ballot of the spectators, the following being the successful competitors:— ■ Ladies.—First—No. 87' filed Indian), 107 votes; second —No. 71 (representing tho Exhibition Stadium), 89 votes; third—No. 97 (Queen), 50 votes; fourth— No. 67 (sunflower), 48 votes; fifth—JNo. bl (“Dawn’), 36 votes; sixth—No. 72 (a ■bird), *24 votes. . . Gentlemen.—First—No. 110 (a Chinaman), 106 votes; second-—No. 96 (Mepnistoplaeles), 34 votes; tlurd—No •36 ( One of the Boys").-SO votes; fourth—No. 124 (oowboy), 22 votes; .fifth *5 > a Roman),' 19 votes; sixth—No. 17 (a masheri, 17 votes.

GUESSING COMPETITION. The guessing competition as to the ■nnmhnr of persons passing_throiigh the turnstiles was won by B, Plumps, who guessed 6876—the actual number being 6879. Ho receives a prize of .£5. ME W. G. BAKER’S APT UNION. This art union was drawn in Die presence of about 1000 people, including Inspector Ellison and Mr Partridge, one of the Exhibition commissioners. Tho drawing resulted : —hirst prize (value 130 guineas), Mrs Hamilton Moore, Te Horo, No. 4880; second (value 60 guineas), Mr K. Blight, Wellington. Nm 5867: third (value 30 guineas). Miss A. Soagor, Lower Hutt, No- -1439; fourth (value 20 guineas). Miss HcShane, Avondale, Auckland. No. 2401: fifth, (value 13 Mr J. Bailey, 'Wellington, No. 1902; sixth (value 8 guineas), Mr Iruliauf, Wellington, No. 26U. WLEELESS.

As a result of the exhibitions of wireless telegraphy 6s 6d was taken towards the Hepple fund. ■WINNERS OF WATCHES.

There wore five • rolled-gold watches presented—a watch being given to every 1600th person who went through tho turnstiles. Several-persons had hard luck in not being winners. For instance, a youth was about to pass a turnstile when he turned back to speak to an acquaintance. A lady stepped into the breach and was proved to be a 1000th visitor. The 999th person looked lugubrious, ‘ but it was too late to claim reward. There was one gentleman, however, who evidently had mails up his mind to bo the recipient of. a watch, for hs walked out and paid for admission ten times tiU he was declared a winner. Tho names of those who won watches are:—J. P. Hannan, 4, Watson street, Wellington; Mrs Wood, 61, Moxham avenue, Kilbirnio; F. IV. Crumble. 98, Wellington , terrace; Mrs B. Andrews, Waipapa road, Hataitai; Miss Eita Maulo, Victoria street. Lower Hutt.

“JUST SPLENDID!”

CHIEF COMMISSIONER'S OPINION. ESTIMATED PROFIT X2OCO.

“All things considered, I think wo have done wonderfully well." So said Mr T. Ballinger, chairman of the Exhibition commissioners, in discussing the results of the big show with a “?iew Zealand Times” representative last night. The attendance on Saturday was G 879, making a grand total of 1G1.G20 who passed through the turnstiles during .the nine and a 'half weeks they were in operation. The, cash takings on Saturday were .£221 9s ltd, tho total for the week was £498 18s lOd. and tho grand total for tho period the Exhibition was opened was £5225 5s 2d. This sum represents the money actually taken in the Exhibition, exclusive' of space fees and some season ticket money. When the Exhibition started Mr Ballinger, bearing in mind tho financial result of its predecessor, ventured the opinion that about £3W profit would be

made, Slucc that time, however, he has had to reduce his estimate, and now feels quite gratified to know that at least <£2ooo will remain in hand when the accounts are closed. He thinks this result must he admitted as being splendid, especially in view of the fact that the commissioners have had no financial assistance from anyone at any time. There was no subsidy from tho Government — certainly none was asked for —and, as Hr Ballinger said, every tiling tho commissioners pot they had'to pay for. PLEASING EEA.TUKES. "One thing that has pleased me more than anything else/' he said, "was that wo have never had an overdraft, hut, on the contrary, have always had a credit balance at the bank. We have also always had money on fixed deposit; putting it there as it came in for space fees, etc. Now wo have got JSBOO on fixed deposit, and also a further «£B2O odd oh current account. \ Though the estimated profit’ is put at about .£3OOO it is impossible to speak with any certainty just yet. The commissioners expect to realise well upon the chairs,' iron, timber and ,other material used in tlio temporary erections. It is not proposed to have an auction sale straight away, for the Harbour Board has granted the. use of the U building for another three weeks for storage purposes. The .intention is to lot purchasers pick the lots they want at their leisure and then to auction the balance off later on. This plan was adopted at the close of the last exhibition and found to work very satisfactorily. HELP BBCEIVEDMr Ballinger said he would like to thank, on behalf of tho commissioners, all those people who had assisted them in their work. This applied specially to the chairman, members and staff of the Harbour Board, everyone of whom had been only too willing to assist in oyqry possible way. Great help was also given by a number of gentlemen in connection with the sporting events in the stadium. A RHYMSTER’S TRIBUTE In the "remarks'* book on Saturday seme rhymster paid the following tribute to the show : / Tho Exhibition is almost done . And it has been a splendid one. It pleased tho people mightily, ; This splendid show of industry. Thqus.iads through tho styles have passed, I wonder who will be the last!