THE EXHIBITION.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11878, 7 March 1907, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION.

By Telegraph— Special Service. Christcburch, March. 6 The Fruit and Dahlia Show; which opaned in the main corridor of the Exhibition-to-day, and will be continued to-morrow, is much . the largest, and if possible, the most beautiful that. nas been held there. It is half as large again as the Begonia show of last month, which broke all previous records. The present show has expanded beyond the limits of the main avenue, and a large amount of space beneatn the entrance dome is taken up by exhibits that are not for competition. In iact the ■ promoters of the show have been at their wits end to provide space for the collection, which includes grapes from. Waikato, dahlias from Oamaru, and fruit from Central Otago, in addition to the products of the Canterbury gardens and orchards. The dahlias are a magniitficent collection, and quite the best that nas ever been shown in Christchurch. The improvements in these flowers, which is conspicuous year after year is again |most noticeable. There is also a splendid show of begonias, and pot plants are present in great variety and of beauty. Tne.numerous exhibits oj fruit and vegetables shown are 6 high-quality.. Altogether there are 501 entries, of which 450 are for competition. Over seventy cases of. golden Obasselas grapes have arrived from the Government's Waerenga vineries, in the Waikato, and were on exhibition this afternoon on a stand which has been erected just inside the main entrance of the Exhibition, where they attracted much favorable attention. The Flower Show, though it attracted several hundreds of visitors was only one of the many attrac tions at tbe Exhibition to-day. The Orchestra gave (^oncer's this afterroon and evening in the Concert Hall to big attendances, and the Besses o'th 1 Barn bad a large audience in the Spor's Ground in the afternoon, but the evening saw the principal attraction of the day in the form of a combined outdoor concert by the Besses o'th' Barn Band, and a display of fireworks by the representatives of Pain and Sons. The night was perfect for botb events, and there was an enormous crowd to gratify the double enjoyment of eyes and ears. The colossal portrait of the late Mr Sed don was a feature of the fireworks. The t. isnlay portrait was a remarkably close likeiust, and was loudly cheered by the immense crowd. The total attendance at the Exhibition f r the day wa5.16,568, which makes the aggregate to date 1,418,665. Over two hundred entries have been rcceivod for the Pet Show in Wonderland on Friday. The Motor Gymkhana, fixed for Saturday afternoon, will commence with a parade of motor cars through the city, and will include many novel events on the Sports ground in conjunction with the gymkhana; also a concert will be given by the Besses o'th' Barn Band. Elaborate preparations are being made for the International Fire Brigade Competitions, to be held from the 18th. to the 23rd of March, which are expected to rival the

i, recent band contest in attendance, , interest, and ° importance."* *Tbe Easter holidays will be made'? a very attractive period^t the^ Exhibition. 2 The SoutherD'Union and Alhambra Football clubs"ofsDunedin, and also the Wellington.Club, have definitely arranged to play off their annual matches, with the local clubs at Easter on .the. Exhibition Sports x ground, and several other games are expected to take place there. A '_ special fireworks display will be ' given at Easter, and the United ' Bands of Hope demonstration will take place on Easter Monday, in tfhich the delegates to the New 1 Zealand Temperance Conference, to ' be held in Cbristchurch at that lime will take part, and it should - prove a very popular function.