MASTERTON DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8450, 29 May 1907, Page 7

MASTERTON DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

PRIZE ESSAYS.

(We have been requested to publish j|sb prize essays of the successful Hfcotnpeiitors, tor prizes presented in connection with the best essays written by the Cadets on their visit io the Exhibition. The prizes were presented by Mr G. S. W. Dalryinple and by the Chairman of the School Committee, Mr R. Brown). (BySergeant Colin Hendry; second jflbprize in No. 1 Section.) Some months ago it was decided by the Government to form a continuous Cadet camp at Christchurch, during the time that the Exhibition was being held. This camp would be advantageous in two ways. The Cadets would receive information, in all camp duties, and at the same time would have£a seeing •one of the largest Exhibitions that have been ever held. Dates were fixed for the various battalions to go .Into camp, and that decided on for :the Wairarapa battalion was FebruVBp»ing on the part of the Cadets, sjg,3!at day arrived. For three days .before this, we had been busy preparing for the trip, by numbering alii the rifles and haversacks. On the morning of the 21st we were even busier than before, for the baggage 6f alljj the boys, one hundred and ten in number, had to be packed in jacks, stamped a with the name of our corps, and the sacks stitched up. About two o'clock in the afternoon we assembled in the playground, and marched to the station to catch tho mail train for Wellington. At the station there was a large crowd composed chiefly of anxious mothers and friends, who had a£S3mbled to see their boys away. ■ After about four -hours in the train We arrived at Wellington station, from which we " marched on to the Queen's Wharf, and went on board the s.s. Te Anau. As soon as we got •on board, we went below to the and had tea, after which we were shown our quarters for the might. The floor of the hold had been •covered with straw, over which tarpaulins had been spread. Blankets and lifebelts were then served out to us, and we then made our beds and • endeavoured to get some sleep. This, . however, was impossible, as the noise shouting was almost d eafening. About six o'clock next morning we •were glad to get on deck again, for the smell clown below wa3 anything but pleasant. About eleven o'clock we arrived at Lyttelton after a comparatively calm passage across. On the wharf a train was waiting, and 'in a short time we left Lyttelton and • entered the long tunnel which se par•ates Christchurch from its port. All those who had never been through • the tunnel before were' wondering when we would reach the end. Leaving the tunnel we steamed on past Heatbcote, Woolston, Opawa, and Linwood, and finally stopped at the ■'Christchurch station. We lined up on thaJfcJatlorm, knd from there we maxHjd to the camping gfotmd at Hagley Park, a distance of between -one and two miles. When we got there, the Westland Cadets were

making preparations for leaving. J)inner "was served out to us, after Afrhich we pitched our tents and pervfortned various duties which kept us busy till tea time. After tea, general ' leave was given until nine o'clock, •and all except those on duty went out and had their firat look round the Ex-

hibition. At nine o'clock, everybody •.except the guards turned in and slept soundly until roused by the bugle at six o'clock 1 next morning. The daily for the camp was as follows: —When the bugle sounded at six everybody got up, rolled up -his blankets and helped to tidy up his tent. When this was done, each company was marched down to the Avon for a wash,-and when we returned. • we dressed ourselves properly and had .•a short parade. About seven o'clock the bugle sounded for breakfast, and the orderlies appointed by each tent for the day went to tho cookhouse and brought over the food for their •respective tents. After breakfast, we formed' up and had a battalion parade, which generally lasted nearly "up to dinner time. After dinner We Elly had a short company parade, were then dismissed until tea , after which we were free again till nine o'clock. Most tof our time ■ was, of course, spent in tho Exhibition. The chief attraction for the Cadets was Wonderland, which contained the water-chute, toboggan, helter-skelter, the Katzenjammer, Castle, and many other attractions. Outside of Wonderland there were . also a great many places of interest. One of these was the cyclorama, a circular building containing a magnificent painting representing the Battle ■ of uettysburg, which was fought in the American Civil War. Others were the Aquarium, Art Gallery, Rotorua, the Maori pah, a model colliery, and many others too numerous to mention. The building itself, and the beautiful gardens and lawns in front of it were well worth going to see. The main building, which was really built of wood, was plastered on the outside, and made to look like stone. At the main entrance there were two towers and a dome which at night were illuminated by electric light. Onet>f these towers is fitted with an elevator, and visitors, from the room at the top, can see all over Christ-

church. Inside the building are exhibits from Great Britain, Canada, .Australia, and from all parta of The Canadian court Targeat, and in the opinion of an, the best arranged in the whole building. The various industries of Canada are all represented in this magnificent exhibit. In one .part ' were many kinds of fruits preserved in jars. In another corner were farming and garden implements, and ironmongery of all kinds. On the walls of,this exhibit were the heads of moose, together with pictures of Canadian scenery. In another corner were exhibited all the minerals 'of Canada, i In the exhibit from the Kaiapoi Woollen Milta there was a loom working, which showed how the famous Kaiapoi rugsjjare made. Upstairs there were school children's exhibits of dxawing, painting, wood v Working, and dressmaking. In this flame room there was a reproduction *moa, which showed ,how that ntic bird looked when it roamed ugh the forests of this country. At one end of this same room was the Victory stall, where medals and ■ other articles made from copper off •the Victory were on sale. In the

Railway Company's exhibit there was a Very large engine to be seen. This engine, when in full working order, weighed seventy-two tons. In this exhibit there were also models of viaducts, and one of the Temuka station showing the various sidings and sheds belonging to it. On the last night we were in camp there was a display of fireworks given in the Exhibition grounds, and we were given an hour's extra leave to witness it. There was a very large crowd there, the display being given free of charge to visitors at the Exhibition. Next morning, about ten o'clock, we were busy packing up ready for our departure. During the morning, a company of Cadets and a Band came into camp from one of the Industrial Schools, and later on a large battalion arrived from Hawke's Bay. About two o'clcok we marched out of camp, and after a short march, we reached the Christchur:h station, where we got on board the train for Lyttelton. Having arrived there, we were taken on board the Te Anau, which sailed at four o'clock. About half-past six next morning we entered Port Nicholson, and while steaming up the harbour, we passed the Gothic, a large Home vessel. In half an hour from then we came alongside the wharf and got on shore. From then till nine o'clock we stretched our legs by a walk through the town, and marching to the station, a special train took us back to Masterton, after a very enjoyable week in camp. I do not think that anybody who went to the Exhibition will ever forget all the sights he saw there. It is the biggest and most complete collection of products of the various countries the world that has ever been shown in New Zealand, and it was absolutely impossible to see all that was to be seen in the short stay that we had in Christchurch.