AT THE. EXHIBITION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1137, 26 May 1911, Page 6

AT THE. EXHIBITION.

» . THE GRAND PARADE. . A SCENE OF ANIMATION. OUTBREAK OF FIRE. Tho Exhibition has now. fairly started on its lon-; run. All ; the' wheels' and' bearings havo been well-oiled, and yesterday they worked with satisfactory smoothness. The stall proprietors and assistants have now time to turn about thorn and say, "How do you do!" to those in the next stall, whoso existence hitherto they have been forced to ignore in'the rash of hurried preparation. An •air of sociability pervades tho place— everyone is in a good humour, from the Chief Commissioner (Mr. Thos. Ballinger) to those who eat the cakes and toast "made on the premises." FIRE-AN EXCITING INCIDENT. There was a cry of 'Tire!" raised in the Exhibition at about ten minutes past three yesterday afternoon. Sure enough one of tho stalls had caught alight, and iho flames, and smoke caused some ■jxcitement in the immediate vicin-. sty. The outbreak'" occurred in tho exhibit of Messrs. E..T. Taylor and C 0.,. 'jeer bottlers, arid "White Horse" agents, if Courtenay Place: This occupies a. small space on the western avenue in "V" Shed, right opposite the Wellington Gas Company's fino exhibit, nnd, strangely enough, next to an exhibit of "Minimax' fire extinguishers. It appears that a gaspipe crossing the ceiling had developed a. leak, the gas from which took lire when it came in contact with the flame of the gas lamp illuminating the exhibit.' The ilimsy ornamental drapery with which the show iras tricked off was instantly ablaze, and an alarm was raised. The first impulse was to snatch a- "Minimax" from next door, but every cylinder in the exhibit was found to be empty; someone rushed away and got another "Mini- : max" from a distance, ' rushed ' back,. ', jabbed it on the floor to pierce the cylinder, wjien it was found that, too, was '.'uncharged. In the meantime one of the firemen and a stall attendant had torn . (tliwn the blazing stuff and trampled it out, tlio only damage being the breakage of' a few beer bottles—also "empties." The serious aspect to the incident vroa the discovery that there were no charged "Minimax" fire extinguishers on tho premises. Mr. A. I. Bate, agent for tho patent, when seen by a Dominion reporter, said he was not responsible. The cylinders for the Exhibition, all ready for ' any emergency, wero in Wellington, and the. Exhibition authorities had been notified that they would be placed in position as soon as the stands for their reception wero nailed up. He could not go.'round ordering his men to put up stands here, there, and everywhere—tho localities had to be fixed by the propsr authorities, then the work would be done. The lesson was a good one. Within half an hour there were dozens of "loaded" "Minimax" extinguishers brought to the building, and ths work of placing them in- position was immediately proceeded with. THE ATTENDANCE. According to a return furnished by 'Mr. Thos. Ballinger, 2700' people passed through tho turnstiles, on Wednesday (the opening day), bnfc as over 2000 were admitted through the main . doors, . tho .attendance must hare approximated 5000 .for the day.' The total number who passed .through the turnstiles, yesterday was 1799, which is considered fairly, satisfactory, in view of Hie unfavourable weather .last evening, and that it was an ordinary full working day as far as the publ : e was concerned. ■A DEFERRED ORDER-IN-COUNCIL, . ■The fact that there seems to have been an' unnecessary delay in' tho issue of the Order-in-C'ouncil authorising the extension of]'the Willis Street tram-line to ju'ficßon with the Customhouse Quay line at tho G.1'.0. has been unfavourably commented upon. Had the Order been issued a month ago the City Engineer would have pushed on with the work, which would probably hare ' been' completed in 'time, for the opening. Now the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. M'Kenzic) • telegraphs to Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P. (in answer to a message from that gentleman), stating that "ho is making inquiries into iho position." By the time they aro i made the Exhibition will most probably be over. In the meantime people living in Woolconjbe Street, Upper AVillis Street, Aro Street,'and: Brooklyn have to walk from the Exhibition to Stewart Dawson's corner to catch a car which goes their way. Witli the uncertain weather of this time of the year this is somewhat of a hardship. • • • ■' . Tho Tramway Department are wisely labelling Jervois Quay cars—"To the Exhibition,^

A:CHECK TO SKATING. A fairly largo number of skaters visit'ed the Stadium last evening to test tho virtues of the new iloor. They had riot . been skating more than twenty minutes, when an order was issued to cease, as it was found Hint the noise made by the skates'oll-the Neuchatel asphalt floor interfered with the entertainment that,was being . given. by. the English Pierrots in tho theatre below! The skaters had their money-returned by the management. The discovery that the noise made by ( the,' action of tho skates on the floor penetrated to the theatre will restrict tli? ,'houTs during which tho pastime will be allowed. There will, however, be a: session between 7 and. 8.30 o'clock this evening, when there will be a band in attendance. ' As the lighting of the Stadium has .been found to be insufficient tho candlepower is to be doubled. It is possiblo that an arrangement might bo come to with Mr. Maynard Dakin, lessee of the Coronation Theatre, by which certain nights, could bo reserved for skating in tho Stadium, and that on those nights moving pictures could be shown' in the theatre.

THE SPORTS. The Wellington Boxing Association has decided to hold its' annual' tourney in the Exhibition .Stadium. The Exhibition Commissioners will take a percentage of the net proceeds. * Tho Exhibition Sports Committee have drawn, up the following programme to bo decided at the Stadium next Wednesday night:—so yards hockey aud lacrosse championships, in. clubs' colours, open to members of all above clubs; one mile and a half ,wn!k handicap; two-mile run handicap; hiilf-milo bicycle, slow race; .two-mile skating race. The final of the potato and bucket race will also be decided. Entries'will .close with, Mr. Fred. Allen, lit Customhouse Quay, or Mr. A. C. Kitto. Manners Street. The following officials have been appointed:—E«ferce, Mr. A. Marryatt; judges, Messrs. Chaffey and Bridge; walking judge. Jrr. Jas. Clow; timekeeper. Mr. A. C. Kitto; call steward aud marksman, Messrs. A. Johnson and A. Muir; starter, Mr. W. H. Pollock. ' i The entries for Saturday's bowling tournament closo. with Mr. Allen, jun., Customhouse Quay, at 5 p.m. this evenin?. Eight rinks .will bo available, which will permit of 04 bowlers playing at the one time. Lom? lengths of dyed scrim (which has superseded tho "Malthoid") were being stitched neatly together by an electrically-driven machine in tho Stadium yesterday afternoon. Two thicknesses of wall scrim does not make,at all a bad substitute for the real thing. The "draw" will take place to-night, under the guidance of Mr. J. J. Roberts. A game was phiyed yesterday afternoon by teams skipped by Geo. Prince and Norrie Bell. Tho Exhibition authorities have provided.a press room for the convenience of pressmen engaged'in work connected with the Exhibition. The room is sitnated on th? landing of the Stadium stairway, which is conveniently central and r/uiet for the puTpose. The Chief Commissioner of the Exhibition (Mr. T. Ballinger) "has received telegrams from Mr. C. J. Parr (Mayor of Auckland), Mr. A. Myers OI.P. of Auckland), and Mr. B. Buttlo (Auckland Industrial Association), regretting inability, to be present at the opening of the Exhibition, and wishing it every success.

A neatly-arranged little Tost and Tc pgraph Office has been established m the eastern "avoiiuo 'of "J" "store, 'not tar from tho main entrance. Money-order and Savings Bank business may bo transacted thero by all wishing to do so. , Slot telephones have been fitted up in different parts o£ tho building. ino charge is "twopence a talk." . . The. Mission Band discoursed music in tho Exhibition last evening. It will piny again' this evening. Tho Gns Company s orchestra will also play a programme 01 music this evening. .... Tho Exhibition Skating Eink will bo open again this evening. 'Ihe venue is the stadium. <.„„„;= Entries for tho covered court, tennis championships, which are to be he d in tho sports stadium, Exhibition Biiildiug-S close with the snorts secretary on May U-