THE EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8340, 24 January 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

By Telegraph—Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, January 23. Christchurch has been afflicted all day with a raging nor'-wester, from which the Exhibition afforded for many people a welcome retreat. Hitherto the visitors have had very little to complain of on the score of these winds, as there has hardly been a severe nor'-wester since the Exhibition opened. The attendance has been good to-day, the performance by the Besses o' th' Barn Band, the concert by the Orchestra, and Maori dances in the pa, being all largely patronised. Huge crowds are making for the Exhibition this evening by all the approaches in view of the Besses-o'-th'-Barn Band's last programme of the present season, and the double display of Pain's (London) fireworks. Interest is still taken by hundreds of visitors in the sweated industries exhibits. Hon. A. Kirkpatrick, Chief Secretary in the Government of South Australia, who is at present in Christchurch, has recorded *his opinion in the visitors' book that the exhibits should be shown all over Australasia. Mr Kirkpatrick intends, on returning home, to recommend his Government to apply for the loan of the sweated in-dustries-exhibits, to show the public of South Australia. An interesting and new feature in the Exhibition is the elaborate of canoes and other articles from the Cook and Niue Islands, arranged opposite the Fijian Court. There are half-a-dozen quaint canoes, most of them with outriggers. Attached is a peace drum, used to proclaim peace for over a hundred years, exhibited by Colonel Gudgeon; an Arikis throne belonging to a family of Aitutaki, who are said to be, practically, one with the Ngatipou tribe of North Island Maoris; swords, spears, eel nets and ceremonial axes, a huge native bath, native tapestry and other articles. A large case, containing specimens of ' natural phosphates occurring in New Zealand, has been added to the Agricultural Court, and the. collection is" fairly representative of phosphates found in the colony during recent years. From a practically education standpoint the Agricultural ' Court is one of the most valuable in the Exhibition. Experimental plots exhibits showing the progress of blight and other diseases hi various fruits, numerous bottled examples of pests and their natural enemies, not to mention other features,must prove of the greatest interest and profit to farmers. The issue of the half-penny commemorative postage stamps in connection with the Exhibition is now exhausted. The total number was 300,000, and as the Post Office is under agreement to limit the issue to that number there will be no further issue of these half-penny stamps. The other issues are fast becoming exhausted, and it is confidently anticipated that long before the close of the Exhibition the commemorative stamps will be sold out. The Tutanekai being otherwise engaged the Government has arranged with the Union Company to carry the Cadet Battalions to the Exhibition.., Great preparations are being made for the New Zealand championship meetings, to be held on Thursday and Saturday. The international toboggan races for "gent's doubles" will be contested at Wonderland on Thursday night. International competitors will all be genuine citizens of the States they represent. The sensational fire rescue act, previously given, will be repeated, very complete precautions having been taken for the safety of the principal actors.