THE EXHIBITION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2040, 27 March 1907, Page 4

THE EXHIBITION.

The Observer severely takes the Exhibition management to task, and in the course of an article states: It is not so long ago that the colony was shaken to its foundations by the wild excitement of a hahv show,' in which Manager Munro himself took part—not as an exhibit, but as a judge. In this case, 400 unfortunate infants weifc horded together in order that a sensation-loving pillil ic might revel in the delirious excitement of gazing upon the charms of tlio helpless squirmers. The Society for the. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which might with propriety have taken a hand in the baby show, were too busy ill arranging for a “]iet show” to trouble their heads about cruelty to babies, and in due course the “pot show” was put before an astounded public. Nor must the ridiculous and hysterical fuss made over tho 1,000,000 th and 1,500,000 th visitor bo forgotten. Further, the 50,000 th visitor to the tower-top is to lie given a “valuable memento”—probably the managerial smile. But tho culminating point is reached when a gold nugget is buried ill.tho ground and the public are invited, at 6d a head, to dig for the hidden treasure. It may he urged that this piece of idiocy is being run by the proprietors of Wonderland. But it cannot be denied that tho Government is countenancing it and using it as a draw. It must not be forgotten that there is always a Minister resident at the Exhibition, who, if he chose, could veto anything which lie, as the representative of the Government, might deem to he objectionable. This hidden treasure business is one of tlio most obnoxious games of chance which could possibly be placed before the public. It is a form of gambling which ought to ho brought before tlio police court. And hero wo have tin- edifying and ennobling sight of a Government which holds U]i its hands in virtuous horror at the very thought of a Tattersall’s sweep, countenancing and approving of the promotion of a most flagrant gamble. This is tlio same Government which looks upon a bookmaker as somebody altogether outside the pale of humanity. Verily, such' consistency passeth all ordinary understanding . Considering that the Ex-, hibition is likely to cost the colony something like £60,000, it certainly seems that we are paying rather a steep price for the privilege of witnessing and reading about a series of ceremonies and side-shows which are sometimes ridiculous, sometimes vulgar, sometimes indecent, and which sometimes partake of all these qualities. At the present time, our illueh-vaunted International Exhibition presents tlio humiliating spectacle of a cheap show dragged out to its extreme limit. The only object ol these degrading beauty shows and other vulgar displays appears to be to lend a questionable attraction to an Exhibition which, in the interests of decency, ought to have been closed long ago.