NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10859, 31 December 1906, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION.

OHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. The attendance at the Exhibition during the five days which ended on Friday night, 06 recorded 'by the turnstiles, was 76,614, which is largely m excess of the total for any previous successive six days since the first week of the Exhibition's progress. To-day again there was a very large, attendance, and crowds of visitors to the city enjoyed the various entertainments and spectacles of interest, which the great show affords. The sports grounds were the scene of an athletic meeting, which was excellently organised by the Pioneer Amateur Bicycle and Athletic Club. TTicre was « very good attendance, considering the strong counter attractions of the cricket match, and some interesting contests were witnessed.

Great interest is taken by visitors m the splendid collection of pictures m the 1 art gallery, and this part of the Exhibition i» always largely patronised. The Hon. W. Kidson, Premier of Queensland, expressed surprise and gratification at the extent of this collection, and the excellence of the works comprised. On his return to Queensland he will endeavor to induce the art societies there to make a selection of the pictures on view. Besides the British Court, Mr Kidston was very much impressed with the fine display that is being made by Canada. A concert this afternoon, and an orchestral and vocal concert this evening, delighted satisfactory audiences.

Although tho fire-walkers have now gone, a party of nearly thirty Fijinns who cunte first to the Inhibition si.il] remain, <iml tlieir entertainments, m the form of nntivc suiigs and dance?, are always much appreciated. The Fijians have made numerous friends m Christchurch, whom they entertain on "off" occasions with songs and ''kava," drinking m the quaint Fijian house which they have built for themselves on the grounds. The Niue Islanders are also a most interesting people, wh6 show much dexterity m making hats and model canoes. ' "Wonderland" has found its projected floral fete too large an affair to organise within a week of the last carnival, and a postponement lias been made till Thursday, January 10th. riiere will be no lack of amusements at the Exhibition during the. next few days. The New Year will be welcomed m by a display of Pain's famous fireworks, starting at 10.30 p.m. on Monday, from a position near the Maori pa. Eighteen special displays will be given by Messrs Pain and Bone during their Exhibition season, and some highly elaborate and dazzling effects axe promised. ' .

At the Scottish Society's gathering of the clans, on January Ist and 2nd, nearly two hundred competitors will take part m the Highland games and dances, pipe music, solos on the great Highland war. pipe, and other distinctive competitions. Tlio great <tog bljow on January 3rd nnd flth*is certain to attract a large attendance.. The approaching band contest is also being looked forward to with great interest. Lieutenant. IJentley, of Sydney, has been appointed judge of the quickstep, marching, and selection competitions, and the North Island Brass Band' Association has been asked to appoint two other judges for the solo contest. The Besses o' the Barn Band, who arrive on January 10th, for their fortnight's season, attained a unique record m the history of bands m 1892, when their victory m the Bellevue contest made them holders of every challenge cup m Great Britain. Between .the yeans 1884 and 1892 the Band competed m 105 contests, with the following results: — First prizes 74, second prizes 13 third 9, fourth 4, fifth 2, sixth 1, nils Z. In addition they won Special prizes offered. In "own selec. tion. competitions, the band carried off prizes to the value of £1504, and m the best piece competitions prizes to the amount of £1490. Out of 58 successive competitions they took 46 first prizes and 25 specials, against, all the leading bands of the United Kingdom.

Complaints as to shortage of water (says the Post) are always to be heard around •Wellington whenever a month or six | weeks of dry weather are experienced, I and the* present occasion is no. exception to tlie rule. .Those far-seeing people who have provided extra tanks for their pfemises are still free from inconvenience, but ttte majority of the residents m suburbs not connected with the city water supply find that the *water level m their tanks is almost invisible. Kelburnc residents are especially loud m complaint, but at Karori, Northland, Miramar, Seatoun, Kilbirnie, Knraka Bay, and Wadestown some fears of a famine are entertained. Island Bay is m part connected with tho city water supply, but on the higher levels and the outskirts of tho suburb only tanks and wells are available. There are houses m these localities which are already destitute of water, and they are dependent upon vehicles, which are carting supplies from wells which flow m neighboring vicinities. There is. notable scarcity at Seatoun and Knraka Bay also, where some residents put m busy nights carrying water from tanks attached to unoccupied houses. Tlie accentuated scaroity of water is causing some slight perturbation to the city authorities, though there is no present risk of anything approaching' a. fcorious sßortagß: — Tjj£r9_-'is,~ how■evei, a determination to prevent ' any waste of water by means of garden hose or neglected taps, and instructions to exercise strictest supervision have been issued to all the Council's inspectors.