First N.Z. Visit By Australian Circus

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30946, 30 December 1965, Page 8

First N.Z. Visit By Australian Circus

A circus which first opened on the site of the present Sydney railway station in 1832 will be making its first tour abroad when it visits New Zealand next month. The circus will leave Melbourne in the Waikari on January 14 and will open in Christchurch on January 21. The ringmaster and business manager of Ashton’s Circus (Mr K. Young) said it was the largest and oldest circus in Australia. It had never ventured overseas before because of the amount of equipment—about 40 vehicles and a staff of more than 60.

After the first night’s performance there will be two performances a day in Hagley Park until January 29, when the show will move south.

Mr Young said he had held his present position with the circus for three months and the New Zealand tour was his first big undertaking. He had been 17 years with Wirths Circus and he knew the New Zealand public was appreciative and would support anything good. He said the main object of Ashton’s Circus was to please children. A new terylene and cotton tent made in Sydney for £6OOO would seat about 1250 persons, and the higher priced seats were more elaborate than the usual circus seating, said Mr Young. A feature of the circus will be a zoo open all day to visitors free of charge. Included

in the animals will be a Russian brown bear named Mishka, who weighs between one ton and a half and two tons, leopards, several small cages of Australian birds, and monkeys will be tethered on the ground. Four lions and four lionesses took part in the show. There would be three elephants, including Johora from India, who, at five tons and a half, was the largest ever imported into Australia, said Mr Young. Captain Schulz, the lion tamer, was also in charge of the elephants. He trained at the Haigenback’s Circus in Germany and was with Ringling Bros, in the United States.

The Flying Ashtons, trapeze artists, consist of four men and one woman. The woman is claimed to be the only one of her sex in the world to do a double somersault from a high trapeze. And of course there will be clowns.