At Auckland Exhibition.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 30, 17 December 1898, Page 4

At Auckland Exhibition.

It is greatly to be feared that witnessing one of the funniest sidq-shows connected with the Auckland Exhibition has been restricted to a compai'jt.tivoly' small number of visitors. I refer to the improvished photographic studio, where pttrchasers of season tickets had to go to get their likenesses taken, to ensure the said tickets not being transferred. The heat in this room was almost stifling, and here day after day crowded in en and women to be photographed. Certainly, it was a most equalising process, for ns the pictures wei*e taken in batches, when a lady took a chair she had not the remotest idea who her companions might be. The result was that the' s6ciety belle might find herself sitting rieat to some one not in her set, or the strong Conservative was photographed side by side with' the rankest of Liberals. Prohibitionists and publicans sat sniilingly side by side, and the parson in irreproachable black ranked with the gentleman pe'nciller. It was real fun to watch the expressions on the faces of the different sitters. In the first place, they were all very warm, with flushed faces and damp hair. Some who were tired of waiting sat with a. look of disgust on their faces ; others attempted to Wreath their faces in smiles, while a few, struck With the ridiculous aspect o( the whole affair, grinned outright at the circle of onlookers. As for the unfortunate man with the camera, his lot was a hard one, and before the end of the week ho got into a perfunctory way of saying, ' Please show your tickets ; sit still while I count five ; now, register your ticket as you go out — next lot please.' This was not, however, all the fun, for every day there was a crowd of people in the room all working at the same puzzle. The operators printed off the proofs as"fasi; as possible, and then they were handed to a stafi of young lady assistants, who, although greatly worried and partially boiled, Were uniformly polite and obliging. At first these photos were put into separate boxes, so that the young ladies could put their hands readily upon any particular one asked for. People were, hoWever, impatient, and preferred to hunt for themselves. Before long all the photos We're mixed tip in almost inextricable confusion, and then the puzzle was for each person to find his o\Vn picture. It was a most tedious process, taking hours in gome cases, while others had the good luck to find theirs almost at once. Ladies and gentlemen might be found on their knees around a sofa industriously, turning over the photos, and it Was, really wonderful how many friends they could see and yet not discover their, own pictures. When they got tired the ladies went outside and fanned themselves, while the gentlemen,' I regret to say,' occasionally used cuss words. The truth' of . the old proverb, 1 Patience ' is a' virtue,' find it where you can, seldom^ in a woman, never in, a man,', was once more proved. n jSome of the men gave up in disgust ; others, offered to, pay the' cost , of being talsen <aga,in, ; provided; their ,pic,tui < es! / would, be, kept separate; while one,3Vas hear, d) to ofier a reward to anyone , who -would * discover »his • photof dead or.,alive,;.andfthrough"all < the' hub- ■ bub vstill there^c&me ■ the t one 'disgusted'

voice, intoning, ' Sit still, please ; wait till I Count five ; next, pleaaei ; get your tickets registered.' Undoubtedly it was most amusing, always providing you had not been photographed. — Auckland Stan