THE EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8346, 31 January 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

VICTORIAN COURT. A HANDSOME TROPHY. By Telegraph—Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 30. The Exhibition still surprises visitors from oversea by its variety and magnitude. New Zealanders, who have based their expectations of its dimensions and attractions on their previous experience of local indus r trial exhibitions, express complete astonishment in many cases at the expansion of all their ideas made necessary by a personal visit. Mr H. J. Scott, South Australian Commissioner for the Exhibition, says that the number of people journeying from his-State to New Zealand during the past month or six weeks has ] been altogether unprecedented, the Exhibition being the prime cause. Many of them, since arrival, have called upon Mr Scott to express their delight and gratification with all they have seen at the Exhibition. Mr Sydney Stubbs, Mayor of Perth and a Commissioner to the Exhibition representing West Australia, also expressed himself as much surprised at the length of the buildings and the wide range of industrial undertakings represented. The traffic from 'Dunedin to the Exhibition continues to keep up on the railway. The average number of passengers at special rates at present is between seventy and eighty a day. The next big rush is expected for the Band Contest, , j which will take place from February 11th to 16th. A handsome trophy of Victorian timber was erected in that State's court this morning. The structure consists of four walls panelled in various woods pierced with arched doorways and ornamentally finished at the top. The centre of the small room thus formed is occupied by an inlaid table, while a great number of specimen blocks of 'various timbers are placed on shelves. The central panels on the outside are carved with typical Victorian bush scenes. All the woods in the panels are named in gilt lettering, and owing to the good design and high finish, combined with, the natural beauty of the timbers, the trophy is both imposing and beautiful. The principal woods used are ivonbark, grey box, red gum, blue gum, mountain ash, messmate, stringy bark, and blackwood. The Victorian court has also been enriched by the addition of magnificent oil paintings of Melbourne from the South Bank of the Yarra, the work of a New Zealand artist, Mr L. Wilson. These continued additions and improvements to the courts are quite a feature of the Exhibition, and were, remarked upon by the Hon. Mr McGowan after a visit to the building to-day. Mr McGowan had not seen the Exhibition since soon after it was opened, and he expressed himself as very pleased with the alterations for the better that have taken place. There have been some great improvements . in the various courts, he said, and the Exhibition, taken all together, ' has quite come up to his expectations. He thinks the people of Christchurch and of the colony have a right to be proud of the enterprise. There were fully teSi thousand, people at the Exhibition to-night, when the display of Pain's (London) fireworks was the great attraction. The weather and sky were perfect for the display, which was one of remarkable novelty variety and brilliance. The masterpiece, the elaborate set pieces, was a wonderfully faithful representation of Nelson and the flagship Victory on either side of the histor-ic motto, all done in fireworks. Next Wednesday there , will be a pyrotechnic display in combination with the military tatoo, in which four bands and a large number of volunteers will take part. Special excursions for the people of the single towns at largely reduced rates will commence to-day, which will be Timari's clay at the Exhibition. Oamaru, Dunedin, Invercargill and other South Island town will have their day in turn, and similar arrangements are being made in respect to the North Island in conjunction with the Union Company.