THE EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8387, 25 March 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

By Telegraph—Special Service,

CHRISTCHURCH, March 24

The Exhibition concluded on Saturday one of the most successful weeks it has known. The attendance during the day and evening was 15,224, making the total for the week no less than 82,900, and the aggregate to date 1,615,089. A large number of visitors arrived from Dunedin by the express trains on Saturday evening, and a heavy influx from other parts is confidently expected at Easter. At the orchestral concert on Saturday evening a pleasing love song from a new Maori cantata by Mr Alfred Hill, was rendered by the orches- ' tra for the first time, Mrs Gower Burns taking the solo. The Turakina poi dancers arrived at the Maori pa on Saturday morning, and will give performances daily during their stay at the Exhibition. Their dances were very popular when given during their previous visit. The arts and crafts exhibits, which have been sold in the Art Gallery, will be removed I after Monday, April Bth. The sales of arts and crafts exhibits have totalled more than £9OO, and about half of the exhibits in that section have found purhasers. Mr Congden, who is in charge of the British Art School, i states that satisfactory sales of pictures are being continued and many ' visitors are keen to buy good pictures. In less than two hours on Saturday morning he had about thirty enquiries for pictures. He expects the total sales for the Exhibition period will amount to more than £20,000. At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Art Society on Friday night, a resolution was passed "that in the opinion of this Society the time has come when entrance to the Art Gallery of the Exhibition should be free except on one day of the week." It was further decided to approach the Government with a view of endeavouring to secure free admittance to the Gallery by working members and exhibiting artists. Mr Longden, interviewed with regard to the proposal, said that he was entirely in sympathy with the Society's wishes. He thought the opening of the Art Gallery might be the means of increasing sale exhibits, and that would be beneficial to the Exhibition, which charged a commission of ten per cent, on all sales. The Society wise in suggesting that there should be one charge-day for that would allow artists and others specially interested to inspect the exhibits at their leisure. At present the charge for admission to the Gallery is sixpence on Monday, Tuesday and Wedresday, and one shilling on Friday, and admission is free on Thursday and Saturday. Mr Munro, General Manager, expresses himself strongly adverse to'any change on the ground that the present arrangement is proving eminently satisfactory. The next display of London fireworks will take place on Wednesday night, accompanied by the massed bands performance, and a repetition of "fighting the flames." The third and last display of daylight fireworks will be given next Saturday afternoon. Arrangements are being made to hold a closing ceremony in connection with the Exhibition on Monday, April 15th. It is expected that the Australian Squadron will take part, and the Governor, as patron of the Exhibition, will present the certificates of awards'gained for exhibits. It is not- suggested that His Excellency will present each successful exhibitor r.with his award, but formal presentation of awards will be made to a committee appointed by the exhibitors to receive them. A prominent Victorian merchant and manufacturer, who has made a prolonged inspection of the Exhibition, expresses his surprise at the extend and high quality of the display of manufactured goods by the Canterbury firms. "Altogether I think the Exhibition very creditable," he says, "and I shall go away with a far oetter opinion of New Zealand than I had before I arrived here." Now that the Fire Brigade Demonstration is concluded the Sports Ground will be prepared for the football matches to be played there on Easter Saturday and Monday. There will be five of these altogether against Dunedin and Wellington Clubs. On the same two days concerts will be given by the Dunedin Philharmonic Society, and Easter Monday will see the largest Band of Hope Union Demonstration that has yet been held in Christchurch, and a magnificent fireworks display crowning the whole series.