THE DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1926, Page 4

THE DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

TRANSPORT OF CHILDREN TOO COSTLY. tBY TELEGRAPH—I’j.'Ii CRESS ASSOCIATION.] DI. : NED.IN, January 10. Friday's al tendance at the Exhibition yihs 20,8iL making the grand total UMO.OtU. Speaking at a dinner given by the British Commissi.,a. Sir James Parr, congratulated the exhibition authorities lor ilie triumph they had achieved. I'or their energy and pluck in organising the- exhibition the business people ol Dunedin deserved the thanks of the Government which doubted the success of the project at its initiation. He was proud to know that although Auckland wiis backward in coming forward, thousands of Auckland people were now coming down ami filling the pockets of the citizens of Dunedin with Auckland golden sovereigns. That was the only consolation he had, that Aucklanders had given their personal support. Sir James Parr agreed that every child should have an opportunity ot visiting the exhibition, hut transport could not l,c Gone free. Each parent, oven with the help of the Education Department, would have to find Co, C 7 or £lO. -C hildren of working people were thus debarred from coming. 'When asked for a grant of ,Co,ooo he placed the position before the Cabinet, hut it could not agree to help. He hoped, even yet. that tho Government might ho able to assist in bringing children from. Christchurch in the north and Bluff in tho south to the Exhibition. Me wanted to show that it was not. the Minister’s desire that every child was not given the opportunity of being present. DUNEDIN, January 17.

Saturday at tile great Exhibition was a fitting close to a wonderful week. The second treasure hunt, organised b.v the Otago Court, proved a strong attraction in the afternoon, when hundreds of people, old and young, were to be seen on the site of the buried treasure, digging feverishly in the hope of unearthing a disc carrying one of the many prizes offered. The site represented a map of the province, and probably many people now know more about Otago than they did before.

At night, the final concert by Madame Elsa Stralia and her Company drew a large audience to the Festival Hall, hut, even without such special attractions, a big •arnival night on a Saturday has become an accepted part of tho life of the city. The attendance was also swelled by 2,non tourists from Oamaru, who came in two special trains. The splendid patronage will no doubt encourage the Railway Department to arrange many more of these popular excursions. The final tally for tho day reached the wonderful tally of thirty-seven thousand, seven hundred and thirty, bringing the total attendance to date to 1.(177.814.