THE EXHIBITION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8737, 11 February 1907, Page 2

THE EXHIBITION.

I Day by Day, Press Association. Christchurch, February 10. There was a large attendance at the Exhibition on Saturday, of which bandsmen from all parts of the Colony, and in ail varieties of uniform, formed a portion. The city is at present full of bandsmen, who have assembled to take part in the great contest which will continue daily from Monday morning till Saturday night. Ten bands from the north arrived on Saturday morning, seven from the south arrived by Saturday night's express, and About ten more from the North Island were passengers by to-day’s boat from Wellington. Of the thirty-seven bauds that entered, tire following will not take part in the contest;—Fcilding, Hokitika, Granity, Duller, Elite, Danncvirkc, LyttelJfarino, Oamaru Citizens, and Auckland First llegimenfal Mounted The following officers will act as judges of the military portion of the quickstep competitions : —Lieut-Colonels Hawkins and Josey, Capts Foster and Meddings, Scrgts-Major Farthing and Hoare, Mr ,(, D, Hunter, of Dunedin, official timekeeper of the North Island Brass Bands Association, will act in that capacity at the competitions, The remainder of the attendance at the Exhibition on Saturday consisted mostly of country visitors and residents from c;her parts of the colony, attracted by the clweap steamer and railway fares,SfVisitors }>-/ steamers are still arriving in large numbers, Of three boats which arrived from the North Island yesterday, the Mararoa brought 640 excursionists' the Patocua 174, and (he Manuka 288.

Thu principal features of the day were an organ recite 1 by Dr Bradshaw, orchestral concert and ;r combined performance by the Fijians and Maoris. Over fourteen hundred persons witnessed U>o performance by the natives, Jfopivsuntatives of Hawke’s Bay natives, ami of those who came before them, made speeches jn which they expressed regret for the impending departure of the Fijians. Dr. Buck translated their remarks into English, and the reply of P.atu Ifermi, on !Mm If of .the Fijians, was traa-.ia.tod by YV. A. Scot?.,, Ifermi welcomed tiio new natives to the Exhibition, and cups ox kava. the Fijian jm.ji.mal drink', were then offered to the Maoris, by whom their contents or partial contents -were swallowed with laughable grimaces. The .Maoris then danced a ir umber of hakas, war dances and pois in first class fashion, and tiie Fijians gave exhibitions Of their fan and club dances, into the latte*, which concludes! with a ferocious combat with clubs, as the result of which first ono sidfi then tiio other, and finally both. Ho prostrate oa tlic field, much by-play was imported, some of the Maoris entering; immediately into the .spirit p£ the joke and adding little loaches of their own. Finally members of both races squatted hi company on the ground, and the Fijians aaiig name of their native songs. The whole contest was most picturesque and enjoyable. Lieut. Bentley has drawn up a programme of military tattoo which ho suggests might lie held in the sports-ground on Friday evening next. It is proposed that all visiting bauds shall take part, and the fo-ope:-.;:iou of the Maoris and Fijians will bo sought, and also that of the cadets in camp and a number of volunteers. James i’aiu and Sons, of London, will supply the fireworks to assist in making the effect as interesting as passible.

TTIO works in the British section of the Art Gallery are still being .disposed of at satisfactory prices. The most important transaction recently has been the disposal of W. B. Leader’s J-GOO oil-painting. “Southward From Surrey's Pleasant Hills,” to Mr S. A. Rhodes, of WollingTho executive of the Canterbury Baud of Hope Union have arranged to hold the annual Easter Monday demonstration in the Exhibition grounds.