THE EXHIBITION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8713, 12 January 1907, Page 2

THE EXHIBITION.

Day by Day.

By Telegraph—Special Service; :f Ja CSBISTCHTJKCJI, January 12. , Ja Over 22,000 people visited the Ja Exhibition yesterday, the Besses o’ th’ Barn Band being the great at- p, traction. The band played almost double the number of items promised in the programme, amongst the M additions being such well-known favourites as the hymn “ Lead Kindly Light,” “ The Lost Chord,” and “ Ora Pro Nobis,” all of which were played with marvellous effect. c A remarkable feature of the band s playing is the almost entire absence of the usual brassy sound, the tone, j as one critic points out, resembling I more that of an immense organ or a

very strong concert orchestra than a brass band. The same critic ob- -j serves : “ Every instrument had its j full value and was heard distinctly, j yet none predominated, all helping

as it were to swell the tout ensemble ; without being obtrusive. The ores- , condos of the band were marvellous. They were taken with the clcar-cut tone of strings and wood-wind instruments, and the melody of the solo instruments was more like magnificent voices than instruments.” Lavish illumination was prepared by Pain and Sons,, of London, for the Rotunda, but the Sports Grounds were not lighted up owing to the threatening aspect of the weather. They will "be used, however, for future performances. This afternoon the band gave a

recital in the Concert Hall, which j; was packed with enthusiastic listeners. The programme was a very I J varied one, including both classical b and popular selections, and the band s performance was again a revelation. An outdoor performance will be S given to-night and succeeding nights, k The popular Cook Islanders left for the North to-day. They will be welcomed by the .Maoris at - Otaki, C Wanganui, New Plymouth, and * Rotorua before catching the steamer J for their native isles at Auckland ] next Friday. ( Mr T. H. Massey, of Bathurst I Cathedral, whose organ recitals have J been a great success, has been re- < engaged to give several programmes ] in the concert hall next week. j The sweated industries exhibits, ’

sent out by the High Commissioner, are now being classified and arranged i for exhibition in the Labor Department’s court. They include an immense assortment of articles, and the labels attached to them showing the conditions under which they were made reveal terrible slavery for the most trifling remuneration which exists in some industries at Home. Waistcoats are shown which women, finding their own thread, were paid a penny each to make, and children s knickerbockers, of which the cost of making was three farthings. Air Alfred Hill, conductor of the orchestra, says that he himself and its members as a whole are entirely satisfied with the support that has been given them by the public. The orchestra now has large audiences, which show great enthusiasm. There is no fault to be found with the musical people of the colony, who attend concerts regularly, and are not at all slow in expressing their appreciation. Large numbers of visitors are arriving daily now from the North Island, every steamer having a full complement of excursionists. The departure of the Fijians is likely now to be delayed until towards the end of next week owing to the difficulty in making suitable arrangements in Dunedin. Nine hundred and seventy people witnessed their last performance of dances. Lieut, Bentley, judge of the Band Contest, has written suggesting that the grand test piece should be produced by all the bands ■ ' vious to the award being mad.., . .A the adjudicator as conductor. l—ut. Bentley says if this can be arranged it will be a most impressive event, and probably, from a spectacular point of view, be a great feature of the Exhibition. A start was made to day with the erection of the bubble fountain. The stalT of the Canadian court has received sets of baseballs, and will introduce this game, which is very popular in the United fetates and Canada, into the Exhibition. An endeavour will be made to form two teams, which will play on the sports

ground. Preparations are proceeding busily for Wonderland’s great floral fete on Thursday next.