THE EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8365, 22 February 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

By Telegraph—Special Service.

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night.

To-day has been a day of days at* the Exhibition, and the attendance has been large from the opening till closing time. The Baby Show, Athletic Sports meeting, boomerang 1 throwing and the Christian Endeavour Union Demonstration formed a variety of special attractions that has seldom been matched. Over 500 babies had been entered for the show before the entries finally closed, and there were quite 400 on exhibition, including half a dozen pairs in the class for twins. They were ranged in four lines down the main corridor of the Exhibition,. and judged by Mrs Field, Nurse Ensom and the General Manager (Mr G. S. Munro), , in batches of about 20 in the Commissioner's room. Soon after 8 o'clock Mr Munro announced the results, and stated that the show had been, he believed, the biggest of its kind ever held in the Southern Hemisphere, and certainly the biggestt in the colony. Every child was presented with certificate of attendance. The youngsters were on their best behaviour throughout the proceedings, and the show afforded an entertianment to a large number of the public simultaneously. The first day's sports of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association were held on the Sports Ground in the presence of a fair attendance. The exhibition of boomerang throwing by an Australian ex- . pert created a good deal of interest by its novelty,but the success of the performance was spoiled somewhat by the wind. The demonstration in the Concert Hall by the Christian Endeavour Union in the evening attracted a large audience. Mr Munro has written to Lieut. Bentley warmly thanking him for his services in connection with the recent Band Contest, and placing on record his view of the very satisfactory manner in which Mr Bentley carried out his duties as judge. The sign "seat apiary," executed in large letters of honey-comb by the busy bees attached to that interesting industrial division, has been placed in position over the fine display of honey in the Agricultural Department's Court, and has attracted notice. The sign is an example of what the bees can do when under control. Advice has been received by Mr H. J. Suott, South Australian Commissioner, that two tons of grapes from that State, to be disposed of in the Exhibition buildings, will be shipped in time to arrive in Christchurch by the end of the current month. The Amateur Athletic Championship meeting will be continued on the Sports Ground on Saturday. On the following Saturday will be given the first display of day-light fireworks, and on February 28th the Besses-o'-th'-Barn Band will commence a secbnd season of twelve afternoons and twelve evening performances. Tha attendance at the Exhibition to-day reached the high total of 21,570.