THE EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8331, 12 January 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

BESSES 0' TH' BARN BAND. MAGNIFICENT PERFORMANCE. THEIR PLAYING A REVELATION. SWEATED INDUSTRIES EXHIBITS. By Telegraph—Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, January 11. Over 22,000 people visited the Exhibition yesterday, the Besses o' th* Barn Band being the great attraction. The band played almost double the number of items promised in the programme, amongst the 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. A remarkable feature of the band's playing is the almost entire absence of the usual brassy sound, the' tone, as one critic points out, resembling more that of an immense organ, or a very strong concert orchestra, than a brass band. The same critic observes: —"Every instrument had its fall value, and was heard distinctly, yet none predominated, all helping as it wer ( e to swell the tout ensemble without being obstrusive. The crescendos of the band were marvellous. They were taken with the clear cut tone of strings, wood and wind instruments, and the melody of the solo instruments was more like magnificent voices than instruments." Lavish illuminations prepared by Pain and 1 Sons, of London, for the rotunda and the sports ground were not lighted up owing to the threatening aspect of the weather. They will be used, however, for futui'e performances. This afternoon the band gave a recital in the Concert Hall, which was packed with enthusiastic listeners. The programme was a very varied one, including both classical and popular selections, and the band's performance was again a revelation. An out-door performance will be given to-night, and the succeeding nights. The popular Cook Islanders left or the North to-day. They will be welcomed by the Maoris at Otaki, Wanganui, New Plymouth and Rotorua, before catching the steamer for their native isles at Auckland next Friday. Mr T. H. -Massey, of Bathurst Cathedral, whose organ recitals have been a great success, has been re-engaged to give several programmes in the Concert Hall next week. The sweated industries exhibits, sent out by the High Commissioner, are now being classified and arranged for exhibition in the Labour Department's Court. They include immense assortments 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 of the 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;, Mr Alfred Hill, conductor of the orchestra, says that he himself, and the members as a whole, are entirety 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 the 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 bringing 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 previous to the award being made, with the adjudicator as conductor. Lieut. Bentley says if this can be arranged it will be a most impressive event, and probably, from a spectacular point of view, a great feature of the Exhibition. A start was made to-day with the erection of the bubble fountain. The staff of the Canadian Court has received sets of baseball apparatus, and will introduce this game, which is very popular in the United States 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.