THE EXHIBITION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13859, 23 March 1907, Page 9

THE EXHIBITION.

SEARCH FOR BURIED TREASURE. . (ITitou Odr Special Correspondent.) „„ CHRTSTCHUItCH, March 22. Ino tire brigades competitions 'were coneluded oil tho Exhibition sports ground yesterday under most auspicious circumstances. In the evening a banquet wis hold ' m the imam corridor, over which tho Deputy Mayor (Mr Payiirijj) presided, and it which the Acting Frimo Minister (tlio Hon. W. flail-Jones) was one of the ' spoakors. Tho whole of the lower half 0 f tho main avenue was occupied by the ' banquet. In the Concert Ilall to-night Mr Pureelli ' Webb, of Nelson, organist, gave tho lust of his series of organ recitals before a hirgo audience. pT'.'f. ? ch °ol cadet oncainpmont at' the ' Jixhibilion is fully occupicdat present', tho battalions in camp comprising Taranaki and Wnnganui boys to tho number of 572, with oj ofiioers, and 113 Nelson lads, with seven olhcers. A largo number of schools from' different; parts of Canterbury and Otago have visited the Exhibition during the past ew weeks, being accommodated l at the Ex-' hibition Homo. Children tronvno loss than four schools arrived to-day, and notico has been received of the intention of several other schools to make the visit shortly. Iho /'"c exhibits of perennial ryegrass £ l owii in Soutldand have boon ploocd in the Southland court by an Invercargill linn.• J. ho weight of one sample is 331b to tlie Imperial bushel, and of the other 341b. Heights such as these aro very rarely met with. J - At the production of "Elijah" in.tlio Concert Hall on Tuesday atul Wednesday next Miss Amy Murphy will take tlio soprano, Mis LeCren. oontralto, Mr if. Carl Puschell tenor, and Mr John l'rouso baritone. The oratorio will be given by the Exhibition orchestra and l choir of 140 voices, wHli Mr Henry Wells, the well- ' known Christchurch organist, as conductor, lurchpecrs of tickets for any part of tlio houso will he admitted free to tho Exhibition. There was a large attondaneo at Wonder, land this evening to take part in tlio search' for tho buried treasure and to view tho physical development competitions. Tho display of ladies' arms aud ankles did not take place, xhe manager of 'Wonderland explaining, when the curtain' rose on. tho special platform erected, that tho Acting 1 rime Minister had prohibited this feature. Clover representations of classical statuary were given instead by a lady spcciallv engaged, and a number of leading physical eultiirists exhibited tho development of their muscles in different poEos, prizes being awarded to the best developed. Several hundred men and women purchased licensos to dig for tho liuried l nugget. No nugget was really buried, possibly because if one had boon a difficulty might liavo been experienced in discovering tho under. Instead, 24 wooden blocks, each bearing a number, worn buried in a largo enclosure, and the holders of licenses dug for these energetically till time was called at the end of 20 minutes. It was explained beforehand that tho number of all blocks found would bo placed ifi n box and a lady m tlio audience invited 1.0 draw a number, the holder of the block with the corresponding number to roeeivo £10. When 20 minutes had expired five Inen and a hoy wore tlio only persons who had found blocks. A draw was made by a lady in the presence of ,m independent committee, and ' Iho prizo fell _ to tho boy, for whom loud cheers were given. A display of 100 typical sorts of pears and apples will he made to-morrow in the Agricultural Department's court. With tho tine exhibits of fruit in the Ilßwkc's Bay, North Canterbury, and South Canterbury courts, these should prove of great interest lo growers. Tlio attendance to-day was 12,700.