THE EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8349, 4 February 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

By Telegraph —Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, February 3. The Exhibition attracted a large number of visitors on Saturday, and to local residents it has now become a seemingly indispensable ■ resort, while visitors from other parts of the colony and from Australia continue to arrive in satisfactory numbers. The long neglected orchestra is now one of its most potent attractions, and the excellent concert given on Saturday afternoon was enjoyed by a large audience. The organ recital given by Dr. Bradshaw, Cathedral Organist, was also well attended. Dr. Findlay, Attorney-General, who is acting as Minister in charge at present, has come to the conclusion after a tour of inspection of the buildings, that the present ventilation is inadequate, and has taken steps to have the defect remedied at once. The windows, which are nearly all fixtures and cannot be opened, are being altered and the roof is also being altered in parts to admit of more air in the Art Gallery, which was generally agreed to be the stuffiest part of the building, electric fans are being placed, workmen having commenced the task on Saturday. When these improvements are effected one of the few existing complaints against the Exhibition, that the atmosphere of its interior is too close for comfort in hot weather, will have been removed. Mr S. Kirkpatrick, of Nelson, having spent a great deal of time inspecting the various exhibits at the Exhibition, has found another complaint, which is at the same time a compliment. Mr Kirkpatrick con- - siders that while the Exhibition is most attractive to those' seeking information and recreation, the side shows and Wonderland in particular, have been very keen competitors at the Exhibition. He has been much \ struck, he says, with the way people have filed into the big building, and immediately rushed through to Wonderland, with the result that exhibitors do not reap the advertisement or reward they are entitled to. Mr Kirkpatrick suggests that after the arranged closing date of the Exhibition and side shows, the former should be re-opened as a free show to the general public, not only in the interests of exhibitors, but from an educational point of view. Mr Kirkpatrick and many of the exhibitor s he has interviewed considers that such a continuation of the Exhibition proper would be in the right direction. Side would be closed down, and the people would then have nothing to distract their attention from the merits of the Exhibition, which he considers very great. Apart from the practicality of this proposal there is no doubt that many exhibits of absorbing interest in the Exhibition, such as educational, sociological and other exhibits in the British Court are far too lightly skimmed by the crowds of visitors who would find themselves very richly rewarded if they gave even a moder- ' ate amount of study to the exhibits. The Exhibition covers so many fields of science, art and industry, and covers some of them in such a complete manner that only the most exceptional individual could fail to find two or-three departments at least calculated to interest him in a very high degree. Details of the International Band Contest, which will be held from February 11th to 16th are well in hand. A local expert writes that before next Saturday night all competing bands and bands- : men will be billetedin.Chrischurch. Never before will there have been such a muster and of a surety such galaxy of talent. Each contesting band will doubtless be in their best playing form, and in "I Lombardi," and "own choice" -we will be treated to the bands of the colony fully extended during the contest. TheNewcastle City Band won a recent large contest, conducted by the Band Association of New South Wales, one of the conditions being that the winrt~ ing band should undertake a trip to New Zealand to compete at the Exhibition. The twenty-five thousandth | visitor went up the tower elevator on • Saturday, and was presented with a- ; commemorative gift. Every visitor to the tower on Saturday was also presented with a postcard showing a view of Christchurch taken from the top. Excellent entries are being received for the Begonia Show, which will take place in the, main corridor on Wednesday and Thursday next. The display of Pain's (London) fireworks in conjunction with the military tattoo will be given on Wednesday night. Four bands axe expected to take part. The championship sports meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association will be held on the Exhibition Sports Ground on February 21st and 23rd. ■