THE EXHIBITION

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13237, 18 March 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION

FIRE BRIGADE WEEK. (Special—By Telegraph.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 17. TTlie attendance at the Exhibition on Saturday/reached the highly ''satisfactory total for a wet day of 12,814, making the total for the week 72,917, and aggregate to'date J.,592,292. The of daylight fireworks in the afternoon , was." witnessed by a very numerous gathering, and there were large audiences at: Mr Oregson's final organ, recital and .orchestral concerts in the afternoon: and evening. At the evening concert several vocal items were given very successfully by Mrs Arthur Meade'. 'lnterest has been added 1 to the natural history court in the shape, of a fine painting (life size) of the North Island nioiintain lily (Ranunculus insignis). It is the work of Mr' David Turner, of Mastertoiii The plant was collected by him (hiring a recent .excursion to the, Tararua mountains It is doubtful if this, court has received the amount of from the public that its. importance' arid interest deserve, Wing to its somewhat isolated position 'in the north-east corner -of" the gallery. It is really one of the most, interesting courts in the Exhibition. Three fine cases contain specimens of the taxidermists' art in the shape of many New Zealand birds, including some of the fa; moils wingless species ;' the animals of various countries, and 'fishes, curioufc' arid uiicbu'tli: '' iSfciriding in ; the centre of the court is .an idealistic'.;. representation of what "the moa was supposed ,M be like in prehistoric days,' and two s'pe/ciipens of vegetable sheep were carried, with, great labour fromj a,- position three thousand 'feet ; up' the .steep:, .slopes _'< if. Mount Torlesse before (hey wereVtfeposite/L in the Gniirt. Two' interesting cases show the extraordinary methods adopted by some iMiimaLs for - defence,, and' Ijea'u-' .tiful casts of Australian snakes, with the, implements'used for extracting poison. A' number, of aquaria- contain specime'ris, of paradise from China".'-fighting: fishes* from Japan,' carp and gudgeon from, ■ fralia,, .red-bellied newts from Jipan, and other curiosities, besides some highly in-. , teresting ''aquatic' plants. ' ,:• Tlie committee in charge of the fire, brigade competitions io be held on the: •s]'x)its«ground from Tuesday till Saturday ! next. ;are spending £6OO in prizes for the events, and the total expenditure on compeitions will amount to over £l2oo', so'that no expense is being spared to make these, contests" a. success. Visiting firemen to the number, of over eight hundred are now practically all in town. The 1 annual conference begins 1 to-morrow morning .'Mid the competitions at the Exhibition oh. Tuesday' afternoon';: v>ii Tuesday night I there will be a coloured wafer display on Victoria Lake:. on Wednesday the competitions will occupv all the morning and : afternoon, and in the evening a fire rescue act, "Fighting the. Flumes" will be given in a realistic manner by ■ the 'firemen. Other attractive features will, be held on succeeding days. At the church parade to-day. : there was. the largest gathering of firemen ever seen in the colony. The deputy-flavor and members of the City Council attended: Bishop Julj'is preached ■an" appropriate sermon. The Acting-Premier, the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, has intimated that he will present the prizes to the winning teams on Friday. Objection having beeiv made to the " beauty show." which it Vas proposed ■ in-"hold in Wonderland, Mr Munro has explained that the management hid no* niithorised ithis additional attraction, ..aim Wonderland- authorities have been.: requested. riot' t<y) hold : it-until permission- is received. The physical development competition and the search for buried treasure will take place on the date proposed (March 22ndI. ' •' .■ For-some time past disputes have arisen between the Exhibition authorities and the , proprietress, nf the rooms, concerning the right: of the tatter to >hang an advertisement placard on, a statue of Apollo placed in the main'corridor, ]ust outside : aTe door of one of the rooms. One ot the Exhibition offices went the placard last night, and the proprietress interfered. A struggle ■ensued, m. Hie course of which Apollo wa.s-thrown from his pedestal «"<\ m ™V pieces on the floor. The sta ue formed -part, of the collection secured by Sir Joseph Ward in. Italy. >