EXCURSION CROWDS ARRIVE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3754, 23 February 1926, Page 25

EXCURSION CROWDS ARRIVE.

“IT'S A MARVEL.” Crowds of visiting excursionists walked or were motored along the Highway from the Railway Station to the Exhibition on Friday morning ready and eager to commence a l#ng, delightful day of sightseeing in Logan Park. Altogether the party numbered 1000, being made up of residents from Waikaka and stations from M‘Nab to Wairuna. They stood in deep queues cutside the main gates while the turnstiles clicked merrily, and by 11 a.m. everyone was inside the grounds and hundreds were passing through the pavilions and courts. The crowds again responded early and well, making the morning session a particularly busy one, and anther large detachment of school children was conducted through selected portions of the Exhibition by teachers under the direction of the manager of the Education Court, Mr C. A. Strack. Many of the visiting bandsmen elso spent the day at Logan Park, and listened with interest and appreciation to the concerts of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Delegates from two conferences at present being held in Dunedin were entertained by the directors during the afternoon, the first being the members of the Navy League Conference, headed by the president (Mr J. J. Dougall). After afternoon tea had been served, the Chairman of the Exhibition Directors (Mr J. Sutherland Ross) heartily welcomed all present to Logan Park. The directors had entertained delegates from many conferences—some scientific and some commercial —but that was the first time that a patriotic organisation had met representatives of the Exhibition directorate. He was particularly pleased to meet representatives of the Navy League, for it ‘stood high amongst the patriotic organisations of New Zealand, and in the British Court the greatest naval exhibit ever seen in the Dominion had been placed, tracing the whole histoi, of the navy from A.P.* 700 to date. There was no used to touch on the work of the Navy League—it needed no praise, and he hoped that the conference in Dunedin would do much to promote the good work that was being carried out. Mr Dougall voicod the pleasure felt by the delegates being entertained by the directors, and after the visitors’ book had been signed by all present tb'- party was conducted through the British Court. “I must add my appreciation of the Exhibition—it it a marvel, and alter seeing the enormous amount of work carried out in suoh a abort space of time one finds it hard to seleot fitting words of praise.” Thus Mr H. Mainland, of Wellington, a visiting delegate to the Conference of New

Zealand Federated Builders, the members of which were entertained late on Friday afternoon, added h : s thanks to the directors. Mr Sutherland Ross welcomed the large gathering that was present and referred to the value of the conferences that had been, and were still being, held in Dunedin. If they had not already seen the Exhibition lie felt it would be a revelation, and he wished to call particular attention to the Imperial Government Court and the New Zealand Secondary Industries sections. He valued the opinions of the speakers who were to follow, for although the directors were not seeking praise for the work that had been carried out, the delegates could judge from a professional standpoint, the labours involved in the production of the Exhibition under the conditions that faced Company. The President of the Conference, Mr J. M‘Cormack, said that after two and a-half days’ deliberation the members of the conference were free to enjoy themselves, and all the visitors intended to spent most of their time at the Exhibition. As a Dunedin citizen he did not wish to praise the Exhibition, but he had watched the progress from the outset and he knew of the hard work carried out and the obstacles overcome by all who contributed towards the success of the great enterprise. On behalf of the North Island delegates, Mr Mainland said that the quality of the work in the Exhibition was of the best, and it was only a pity that the buildings had to be pulled down in such a short space of time. The results that had been achieved showed that the men concerned had the interests of the Exhibition at heart. “All praise to Dunedin/’ he concluded. “We in the north have looked forward to our visit with great eagerness, and we wish we could spend a month or two in Dunedin and see the Exhibition properly—we feel that the time is all too short.” The third reception of the day was in the evening, when the delegates to the Engineers’ Conference were entertained at an informal supper party. Mr Sutherland Ross welcomed the guests, and in the course of his reply the president. Mr W. E. Bush, thanked the directors, and referred to the admiration of all visitors present for the great success of the Exhibition. Mr F. W. Jones, ex-president of the institute, also spoke, adding his praise of the Exhibition and expressing his pleasure at the opportunity given delegates to meet the Exhibition directors and their friends.