THE EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8331, 14 January 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

BESSES 0' TH' BARN BAND CONCERTS.

SIDES-SHOWS DOING ENORMOUS BUSINESS. BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG ' CYCLORAMA. By Telegraph—Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 12. Despite the short showers of rain and the threats of a downpour, the Exhibition attendance on Saturday amounted to close on fourteen thousand. It had been decided that the Besses o' th' Barn Band should not play again in the Concert Hall, as, although the Band plays with a much more subdued tone than the ordinary brass brand, the Concert Hall is really not large enough to do justice to its strains. The weather on Saturday, however, left no other alternative than to hold the afternoon performance indoors, and the Concert Hall was packed with an enthusiastic audience. In the evening a performance was given in the Sports Ground, and, though the weather remained damp and threatening, immense crowds assembled and listened wellnigh breathless to the Band's wonderful rendering of a. highly-varied programme. The Band's choice of pieces ranges from "The Earl and the Girl" to Beethoven, so that all sections of the audience have something to delight them. Mr lies, director of the Bad, speaking at the entertainment given them by ihe Lancashire Society at which they were presented with an illuminated address, said he thought he might say, without exaggerating, that the Band was recognised as the most famous in the world, and in Mr Owen they had the greatest conductor now living. The perfection of Mr Owen's control over the Band and the ease and quietness of his conducting are indeed features ofJthe performance. The Band will play , on the Sports Ground on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and on both Friday and Saturday nights. The strong popularity the Orchestra has now achieved was shown in a most signal manner by the large attendances at the Orchestral performances in the Concert Hall given contemporaneously with the performance of the Besses* 6' th' Barn Band-on the Sports Ground. On Saturday the Concert Hall was crowded, despite the immense coun-ter-attractions, and many items were re-demanded. Although the educational side of the Exhibition has received much more attention lately than at first, numerous side-shows continue to .do enormous business.' They are, in fact, very special features of the Exhibition. The proprietors of the cyclorama, which depicts in highly realistic' fashion the, decisive "Battle of in the American. Civil War, claim to have had upwards of thirty thousand visitors up to the present, the maxi-' mum for a single day being three thousand. The ' battle is painted on an immense circular screen, and the actual earthworks, guns, tents, etc., are introduced so cleverly that one fails to detect where the picture ends, and the other objects begin. The entire presentation of the famous conflict is terrible and thrilling in its fidelity. Some thirty thousand, visitors have also witnessed the buckjumping performances given nightly in a special arena, and over nine hundred local and other have essayed.to rule the fractious steeds.' The Pike consists of a long promenade with side-shows and ingenious slot-machines on either side. Thousands make use of the promenade daily, of whom a large 5 ; proportion are enticed into the novel sideshows by American'' spruiters," " barkers,'' or criers, who proclaim with raucous eloquence their various atractions. West's evergreen pictures,* shooting gallery, "sun spot," the airship which sais above the lake, camera obscura, and fat children show are prominent among the host of other enjoyments. "Wonderland" is a separate concourse of the most novel- sideshows, with grounds, band and tea-room* thrown in. The judges' suggestion that the grand test piece in the approaching Band Contest should be 'produced by all, the Bands together previous to !the award being made will be carried but, Lieut. Bentley says this was done with eight bands in Australia, and tM result was most impressive. To do the same thing with thirty-five bands should be a spectacle of lifetime.- For the Axeman's Carnival, on January 17th and 19th, a large ~ number of entrieshave} been received from Australia and New Zealand champions. The Hon. J. E. Jenkinson, concluding a statement of impressions of the Exhibition, is certainly an : exhibition such of us even of middle age can eveEybpe to see again in this colony." 'sSi