THE EXHIBITION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8760, 11 March 1907, Page 2

THE EXHIBITION.

Day by Day. By Telegraph—Special Service. CnEiSTCltuKCir, March 9. The Exhibition attendance on Saturday was 14,844, bringing the number for the week up to the very satisfactory to.al ef , 75,439. The aggregate attendance to date is now 1,459,272. The-motor oar , gymkana held by the Canterbury Automobile Association was' the special event of- Saturday and attracted a very igood'attendance. Forty-three cars: took part in the procession from the city to the exhibition, and a highly interesting series of competitions, some of them of an amusing character, then took place on the sports’ ground. One thousand, people paid their additional shillings to hear the Besses Band in the evening.

A, large number ot awards were declared on Saturday evening in connection with the judging of exhibits. Gold and silver medals have been liberally bestowed, and, in addition, a fair number Of special awards have been made on account of paricular excellence of exhibits. The sections that nttve been judged include brushware, boots and shoes, teas, 'perambulators, bicycles, billiard tables, brick and stoneware, glassware, tools, cutlery, brass, steel lead and tinware and ironwork. A recent addition to the prison exhibit is well made model of an eight-roomed house constructed by prisoners. It represents exactly a house built by prison labor as an officer’s residence and is constructed of wood and cardboaid and neatly painted. Other examples of prisoners’ work in this rather gloomy section, which has, however, an increasing fascination for the public, are a large sized model of New Plymouth gaol and a smaller model of the Homan Catholic Cathedral of Christchurch, both showing excellent workmanship. There will shortly be added to the South Canterbury court a valuable collection of fruits and roots indicative of what South Canterbury cun produce in this respect. The Agricultural Department’s court has received from St. Helens, England, a consignment of horticultural glass, which includes propagating pans, fern shades and other glass. Other minor additions arc still being made to this court, chiefly representative ot the present season’s crops. Tho fifty-thousandth visiter to tho Exhibition tower top is expected to ascend

the elevator about Thursday next. A valuable memento well be given to the lucky person. From every part of tho colony teams

will take part in Fire Brigade competitions, which commence in a week’s time. These competitions, when held in other, centres have always proved most attractive to the public owing to their variety of colors and movement. This and the water displays on the Avon Elver and Victoria Lake, lighted by coloured fires, torchlight procession on tho Avon and trial of chemical engines on the sportsground by setting fire to temporary structures and using different chemicals to extinguish flames will be additional features of unusual interest.

"When the rotunda has been removed it will bo hard to imagine a better site for the Easter football matches than tho Exhibition sportsground, which will shortly be made ready for these games. The final performance ot the famous Besses’ on Wednesday night will bo combined with a special fireworks display, band selections and pyrotechnic marvels being alternated throughout the evening. -