ThE EXHIBITION.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11863, 18 February 1907, Page 2

ThE EXHIBITION.

By Telegraph— Special -Service. Ohristchurcb, Feb 17 Despite continuous heavy showers of rain, the Exhibition on Saturday attracted an attendance of 14,004, bringing the total for the Week to over 90,000, and making the aggregate to date 1,229.861. The qutcksitep competition proved a most attirtctiv'e feature of the Band Contest. Tb« performance by the combined bands* which was to have taken place oil the Sports Ground, was~unable to be held there owing to rain, but about four bands played together in the main corridor in the presence of a very large audience. The presentation of the cash prizes and medals to the successful bands and bandsmen took place in the main avenue in the evening. Mr Munro, before presents ing the prizes, in a short speech, congratulated the successful competitors, and oxprßsed his Sympathy with thosa who were unsucccsful. lie thanked then! all on behalf of the Exhibition authorities for participating in the contest, and assisting to make that feature of the Exhibition the success it had been.At the Ministerial supper given to visiting bandsmen on Friday night* Lioutonant !3entlßy,the Judge of the grand selection and. quickstep competitions, paid a high tiibuto to the Orchestra, ..which wad. ho said, in his opinion, the finest thing in tho Exhibition. The Government dfl served tho thanks of the whole Colony fir bringing together such a magnificent bony of players, which he hoped all cont":e3 of the Colony would be alTordod an opportunity to hear. The presence of the Orchestra woutd cover quite a' multitude' of other sins of omission, if such existed, lion J. McGowan,in replying to the tonst of tho Exhibition, said the fact that it wag in sucti a forward state when it opened wns S due to the ability and energy of the General Manager, Mr Munro, who had been a tower of strength between the Government and the Committees. Mr Munro had the welfaro of tho Exhibition at heart, nnd it was mainly due to his efforts that tho undertaking had turned out such n success. Tho Minister also paid tribute to the excellent work carried out by the various committees. The llawko's Bay natives at tho Pa are expected to return home oarly this week. 'Jhey will be succeeded by a detacjmiont of about forty of their fellow tribesmen, whose visit will be succeeded about March 20th by that of a contingent of Wairarapn natives, iiffcy or sixty strong. Tho viait of the Ngatiporou Maoris will probably not taUe place until near the end of the Exhibition, as most of them are too busily engaged to get away before. Tho first display of day light fireworks, which proved a groat success at the St .Louis Exhibition, will tako place at 5 p. m on Saturday, March 2nd. Rockets and bombs are tired from motars, and when they burst, instead of the usual colored fires, small flags, parachutos, fishps, birds and all manner of other things are set floating in the air. The displays are specially attractive to children, and arrangements fire being made for special trains to transport the little people from all convenient placcaP This is a form of entertainment absolutely new in New Zealand, acd the General Manager anticipates that it will draw the greatest gathering of children ever seen in tho Colony. There will be no cbargo for admission to the day lirewoiks display. The principal attracations for this week are another free grand display of fireworKs on Wednesday night, tho baby show on Thursday, and tho New Zealßnd Amateur Athletic Assoc.iition's sports on Thursday and Saturdoj'. The final display of fireworks will be given on the night of Eastjr Monday, when a specially extensive and elaborate exhibition will be given, as Mr White, the representative of Messrs Pain and Sons, of London, intends to lire off then his entire stock of fireworks before his return to England.