THE NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH SEAS EXHIBITION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2760, 22 March 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH SEAS EXHIBITION.

(t'UOM OlUl SI'KCIAL C'OUUKSroXDKKT) I uincs being a little dull just now at the Inhibition, just now I intend filling up with a few outside matters of interest. David Christie Murray lectured, at the City Hall here last week, on reminiscences of a war correspondent. He took as his t-X t the title of one of Grant's Novel?, " The Romance of W<ir," and proceeded to disillusion our minds of the idea, that any romance in attached to it, picturing it is a horrible, ghastly business. He said it was impossible to crowd a more false idea into any four words than was cun tained in '' The Romance of War, and in proof thereof he related some horrible incidents. The lecture was interspersed with numerous anecdotes, and one passage describing the jiseige of Plevna, by the Russians, was very characteristic. The lecturer (then special for tho London Times) and a few Britishers, formed a little band through all the misery. They were at starvation point, uo food to be had but black bread, and on rara occasions a poor starved sheep, so thin that they could not skin it. The only way to prepare it, being to cut the wool close, and cut the body (skin and all) to pieces with an axe, and cook it thus. It was a rare treat every week or so to get an oniou or two to stew iu with it, There was one among the their number yho used to spot the ouions and oppropriate them iu tho most bland and innocent manner, always calmly supposing that tho 'others " had dined " and left these onions for him. But a day of reckoning came, ono of tho band having found a bottle of rum, they celebrated the want by a musical symponum. The mess-room, a miserable looking hut, was tho scene of the festivity and they could hear the splash of the rain, the howling of the wind and above all the roar of the , cannon, still the "fun" went on till 1 o'clock a.m. Tho streets were dark, save for an occasional flash of an exploding shell. There was mud everywhere knee deep. The "onion man," unwilling to hire a guide, started to find his hut, lost his way, and floundering about, succeeded iu getting into 12 feet of water. He struggled oub, and for tho remainder of the night, floundered round in the mud. At last day dawned, and ho found the spot where his house had been, but was not now—for it had been carried away by a shell. The poor wretch returned to his companions, told his troubles and adventures, aud then wound up very pathetically, that he did so tniss his little comforts." The Darrells (after a successful season, left here in rather a melodramatic manner. Almost tho entire company elected to stay behind and demanded they return tickets to Melbourne, our "George",refused, whereupon the whole company marched to the railway station and served, what purported to be a writ, upon the astonished George. After a little bluster he gave up the tickets, but, and here lies the joke, the writ was nothing more or less than a stage prop. Poor George Darrell was "bluffed." On Friday last the Sunday-school children gave the third choral and floral festival. The concert hall was crowded. Hundreds were turned away. There was not even standing room. The pleasure of seeing 500 children, in white dresses, with their coloured streamers, bouquets and banners, singing their little simple hymns seems never to wave. On Saturday all the children were taken for a water picnic on the p.s. Osprey to Quarantine Island, where they enjoyed themselves immensely. Ere your readers see this, on Thursday the great " Friendly Societies Gala, " will be in full swing. Thousands are flocking into town for it, and a great day is anticipated. Sports, races, a baby show, a concert and processions, and a speech by M. Joubert on "The Dignity of Labours, as Exemplified by Exhibitions," and various other attractions are on the boards, ancl seem likely to bo carried through to the bitter end. A lot of additional educational exhibits and curios are to hand from London, including specimens of all the new systems of education now in vogue at Home. Space is being found for them in the old Agricultural Court where the dairy show was held. Negotiations are in progress with the Wellington company of amateurs who made sueh a furore with Rip Van Wrinkle. They are to be engaged to play at the Exhibition instead of fretting up a local company to close the Exhibition with. Arrangements, I believe, are practically concluded, and there is very little doubt that Rip Van Wrinkle will be a great success here.