THE EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8357, 12 February 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

By Telegraph—Special Service. " CHRISTCHURCH, February 11. Bandsmen and their'relatives,and their friends, io the number of some * thousands, formed a large proportion of the attendance at the Exhibition to-day, the principal event being the opening of the International Band I Contest. This will be the main attraction at the Exhibition during the present week. The solo competitions commenced, to-day, and will be continued on Wednesday and Friday in the Concert Hall, and the Grand Selection and Quickstep will be held on the Sports Ground on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. In connection with the contests a grand torchlight tattoo will be held on Friday night, which should prove a most picturesque affair. It is suggested that the whole of the bands competing shall take part, together with the military forces and cadets and the Maoris of the pah and the Fijians if they are still here. The proceedings will commence with gun-fire and the playing of the "First Post" by the buglers of the Volunteer forces. The. bands will then march on, accompanied by torch-bearers and playing the quickstep. Each band's entry [will be announced by the firing of a rocket. The exhibition of gun drill by the artillery or naval brigade will follow, and then the massed bands will play a march set for the contest under the direction ,of the adjudicator, Lieut. Bentley. An attack by the military on Te Arai te Uru pah, which will be defended by the Maoris, who will * give a war dance of defiance,. will be the next event* after which the massed bands will play the National Anthem, and the gun-fire and playing of "Last Post" by buglers will conclude the programme. Some of the arrangements have not yet been completed, p but it is hoped that it will be found practicable to carry out the tattoo on the tines indicated. A record, both as regards attendance and cash takings at the Concert Hall, was established on Saturday night by West's Pictures and the Brescians, when eighteen hundredand forty-five persons paid for admission and were accommodated within the building. .The Orchestral concert, which was to have been held in the Concert Hall this afternoon, was postponed till tomorrow, the Band competitions keeping the Hall engaged for the whole of the afternoon. The sale of etchings and photographs *in the British Court appears to have started in real earnest according to the large numof these Ibeautiful works which now bear the legend "sold." . Mr 1 Munro, General Manager of the Exi hibition, has received from the Bega 1 fire-walkers the supreme gift of a ■ whale's tooth, which they promised him before their departure from Christchurch. The tooth is an unusually large and handsome one, similar to the gift which has come to hand for Sir Joseph Ward. . Mr White, representing Pain and Sons (London), has arranged to give a display of fireworks on Wednesday night next. There will be a doubles bill of set , pieces, and the aerial work will be of even a higher class than on any previous occasion. It is stated that an International ; Football Carnival, on the Sports ground, to occupy a week or ten days just before the conclusion of the Exhibition,, in April,, is the-, latest suggestion in x the. way of entertain- : .. ment. It is pointed out. that the Sports Ground would provide a splen- ! did football fieldi with seating acconi- | modation for 1,800 people and standj ing space for many thousands. Teams could be attracted from all .parts of | the colony and even from Australia, and sufficient players would probably arrive to allow of the carnival to be continued for the suggested period without playing any team more than twice a week. Attractive cups and trophes would, of course, be provided. The Fijians, who have been giving dances at the Exhibition, and whose 1 stay is now very near its end, have ■ won from the General Manager and Sub-Inspector Dwyer (in charge of the police force at the, Exhibition) high encomiums on their irreproach- '. able behaviour during the entire i period of their visit under circumstances altogether novel and under a [process of public "spoiling," which might easily have had bad effects. Miss M. O. Stoddart, who is recog- \ nised as a fine landscape artist and ! the best painter of flowers in this colony, and who has just returned from a nine years' study of art in England and the Continent, when i asked for her opinion of the picture [gallery at the Exhibition, said: "I I think," on the whole, the picture ! gallery is an'' exceedingly interesting I collection. There is some very fine i work there. It would be unreasonable ' to expect perfection in a collection of i the kind. I think the level of the i water colours is more sustained than that of oils. 'The Smugglers/ by Napier Henry, is one of the finest of his work I have seen. lam glad to notice Terrick Williams has sold so well, because he is one of the coming men. Taken altogether, it is a most interesting and instructive show and the people of the colony are fortunate in having the opportunity of comparing many styles of painting.''