THE EXHIBITION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8735, 8 February 1907, Page 2

THE EXHIBITION.

Day by Day;

By Telegraph—Special Service;

Christchurch, February 7.

The influx of visitors to the Exhibition from other parts shows no signs of abating up to the present. Two steamers, which arrived from Wellington this morning, brought six hundred passengers, and the Melbourne steamer brought one hundred from Australia.

The Third Wellington Battalion of school cadets, encamped at the Exhibition, wore inspected this afternoon by the Hon. Mr Fowlds, Minister of Education, who complimented the lads on their appearjance. The battalion will remain in camp till Tuesday next, and will probably be succeeded by a battalion from Gray mouth, others following later on. Seventy-five Maoris from Hawke’s Bay district arrived at the Exhibition: I pah this morning. Their tribe- wer® specially complimented for hakn dancing by the Duke of Cornwall and York whoa they performed- before him at Rotorua, and thov proudly retain the name ha crave them of “Duke’s Own.” Among tho newcomers are a number'of women, who will dance pois, and singing of native songs will also bo a feature of their entertainment. They will remain a week' or ten days, perhaps longer, and will bo | succeeded immediately on departure by ' another larger contingent from tho same , tribe. To-day they were welcomed with pois and lic'Vas by a, few Maoris who hail boon left in tho ps, and on- Saturday they 1 will be formally welcomed by tho Fijians, when Ch« ocremody of kava drinking will take place and representatives of both, races will perform their national dances. Tho begonia show in the main corridor attracted a largo number of admirers again to-day. The attendance at tho Exhibition generally has been unusually good all day. The fireworks display last night wan given under the disadvantage of drizzling rain, which threatened every minute to bo converted into heavy showers. There was, however, a large crowd to witness tho pyrotechnic exhibition, which was fully up to tho high standard these displays have hitherto maintained.

Lieut Bentley, who is to judge the grand selection and quickstep competition at the Exhibition band contest, commencing on Monday next, has arrived in town. Tho prize money for this contest totals A7OO, in addition to which the North Isla* i Association’s Besson shield will bo awarded tho band securing tho highest aggregate of points in the grand selection and quickstep, and tho shield presented by Begg and Co will bo presented to tho South Island band obtain- ; ing highest aggregate in tho selection. Tho Minister of Railways has definitely refused concessions to bands travelling toi tho contest.

It is now announced that should tins Taviuni proceed direct to Fiji on her next trip, the Fijians will return to their homes by that vessel on Wednesday next. Should this arrangement not be' possible,, thev wilt proceed via Auckland on Satur-

day week. It lias been dcan:t' l 'rly decided that tho orchestra will not visit Dunedin during the wool: of the band contest.. It will play on three afternoons in the Concert; Hall, and on threo other days it will play in tho' Concert Hall both afternoon and

evenin'*. Tne majority ot the band contest events will tc.ko place on the sportsground rotunda, leaving the Concert Hull free at those times.

A record audience for the. Hall was attained to-night when West’s pictures and Brosoians attracted an attendance of seventeen hundred.