I.S. EXHIBITION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1805, 18 July 1913, Page 8

I.S. EXHIBITION.

LETTER FROM COLONEL ROBIN. By the last English mail a Wellington resident received a loug and interesting tetter from Colonel A. Robin, C.8., in tho course of. which ho makes reference to the Imperial Services Exhibition opened at Earl's Court a few weeks ago, and which is to remain open until Oelolxr. "As a member of tile general committee of tho Imperial Services Exhibition," writes Colouel ltobin, "and having been appointed to arrange and supervise, our Dominion's exhibit, I had the pleasure of assisting the Duke of Connaught to open tho exhibition on May 31. The Duke expressed himself as greatly pleased with New Zealand's exhibit. It looked very well indeed, with tho front of a beautifully carved Maori house on one side and a huge cast of tho New Zealand coat-of-arms on tho other (a fac-simile of the carved coat-of-arms presented by a number of New Znalanders in London to H.M.S. New Zealand, and now a promiuont feature on the ship). The side walls are hung with pictures of New Zealand, including a large photograph of a big Maofi gathering, with haka dancers in tho foreground, and opposite a fine oil painting of the New Zealand, battleship. There are also lots of dressed heads of deer, wild goats, and pigs, etc., and sovoral cases of stuffed trout, ranging orig-' inally from 18 to 241b. in weight. At each corner there is a figure iu wax—one of 'a Senior Cadet, an infantry man, a mounted man, and a Maori rangatira, rogal in his mats, taiaha, etc. Our part of the show is very much appreciated, This opening was very successful, and drew a splendid attendance of civilians and army and navy men. Tho naval and aerial mimic fight on tho lako is really good. Half a dozeu model battleships, of which 11.M.5. New Zealand is one, about 28ft. long, and each worked by two or three men, manoeuvred about tho lako and 'iwmbarded' a port most realistically. They also hold a naval review, a model royal yacht passing'down tho lines as if it were the real thing off Spithcad. Armoured trains, fortified positions, and all sorts of naval and military shows aro to bo given in connection with the exhibition until October, and all sorts of inducements aro being offered tho public to spend their afternoons and evenings thero." Colonel Robin returns to New Zealand at the end of tho ycai.