THE EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8322, 2 January 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

SCOTTISH-SOCIETY'S , GATHERING. CHRISTCHURCH, January 1. Successful would be a mild term to apply to the Scottish Society's gathering at the Exhibition to-day, or to the attractions of the day generally The Scottish contests drew competitors of the highest calibre from all parts of the colony, and the attendance of the public, totalling some 4,500, was only a'few hundred short of the record crowd attracted to the sports ground by the first performance of the fire-walkers. The competitions were excellently managed, and the judges were enthusiastic in their praise of the high standard shown both in dancing and piping. Major P. S. McCorkindale, of Sydney, the judge, said that the piping was excellent. The organisation of the gathering wp splendid, and the competitions generally of sufficient merit to rank very well with large contests of a similar character which he had seen in all parts of the world. The amount of prize money was, he thought, unique. Mr Robert MacPherson, of Cobar, New South Wales, who is another of the judges, said that he had competed in all the best sports gatherings in Scotland, and had never seen better dancing. He thought the contests would lead to intercolonial and international competitions of a similar character, which would bring Scotchmen the world over into closer touch. The gathering generally was far ahead of anything he had expected to see in the colonies. Center, of Edinburgh, won nearly all the prizes to-day in piping, and Forbes McKenzie, of Wanganui, won nearly every dance for which he entered. The competitions will be concluded to-morrow. The general manager estimates that of the 29,000 people who visited the Exhibition yesterday, 25,000 were present together in the evening. To-day's attendance (if the evening figures were not counted) Would no doubt be several times as large as yesterday's similarly diminished. Seldom has there been a more sustained attendance from an early hour, but the evening crowd can hardly be expected to compare with I that of yesterday. Mr Munro cabled this morning congratulating Pain and Son, of London, on the great success of their first fireworks display. Those who have seen similar pyrotechnic exhibitions at the Crystal Palace say that they have never witnessed anything finer than, the display last night. Seventeen more of these displays will be given at weekly intervals during the continuance 1 of the Exhibition. The attendance in the concert hall last night, when Miss Amy Murphy sang, achieved a record. A large rotunda is tfeing erected in the centre of the sports ground for the performances of the Besses o" the Barn Band, the first of which will be given on Thursday, 10th inst. The price of admission to the ground will be one shilling, and an extra shilling will be charged for reserved chair accommodation close to the rotunda. For the dog show on the 3rd and 4th inst. very complete arrangements have been made A large attendance is expected. A large contingent of Wanganui natives are expected to arrive very shortly at the pa, where they will give dances. Songs by the Cook. Islanders and dances both in the morning and afternoon by the Fijians, formed a much appreciated portion of the varied programme of entertainments offered at the Exhibition to-day