THE EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8389, 28 March 1907, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

By Telegraph—Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, March 27. The Exhibition was unfortunate in regard, to the weather to-day, rain falling in the afternoon and all the evening. The Turakina Maori girls bravely gave their usual programme of dances before a fairly large attendance. The Niue Islanders took their departure, after receiving an eloquent leave-taking from the Maoris' of the pah, accompanied by * numerous gifts. The massed bands' performance and fireworks display, which were to have been held in the Sports Ground, had to be postponed till Saturday, but huge crowds swarmed through the corridors of the building all the evening. The Concert. Hall was crowded to excess for the second performance of the oratorio, "Elijah," which was very finely given by the Orchestra and a large choir. Two varied consignments of Auckland grapes, comprising about threequarters of a ton grown at the government station at Waerenga and about two tons grown by private growers, arrived at the Exhibition to-day. Samples were displayed in the agricultural Department's court, and the remainder of the grapes were sold to -concessionaries for sale, by whom they were retailed at a rapid rate. The grapes arrived in fairly good condition. Two hundred and forty School Cadets from Invercargill arrived by the late express this evening. A number of stratford and Hawera boys , who remained behind when the rest of the Taranaki contingent left yesterday, will take their departure on Friday. The Broken Hill Proprietary Company have presented to the Otago School of Mines an interesting exhibit of lead crystals at the JSlew South Wales court. A handsome silver ring, suitably inscribed, was presented, yesterday, to the thousandth baby to enter the dren's Rest. The infant was the daughter of foreign exhibitor. The number of children accommodated to date in the Children's Rest is over 1,300. Infants not only from all parts of New Zealand, from Whangarei to the Bluff, have been among its occupants, but also a large number of babies from various parts of Australia, &s well as a small sprinkling of children of foreign nationalities left there during the day by different foreign exhibitors. The postponement of the fireworks display and the massed bands performance till Saturday night will add to the already brilliant accumulation of attractions for Easter. Visitoi's at that period will have the unprecedented privilege of witnessing two separate displays of London fireworks within three days. Preparations are being hiade to play interclub football matches 011 the Sports Ground on Saturday and Monday, and arrangements are almost completed for the Band of Hope demonstration on the latter day', which it is confidentially expected will be the largest ever held. The Dunedin Philharmonic Society and the Dunedin Garrison Band will give performances in the Concert Hall on Saturday and Monday.