BULL FIGHTS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 19, 22 July 1925, Page 7

BULL FIGHTS

ADDRESS TO UNIVERSITY

WOMEN

An interesting address was given by Professor yon Zedlitz to a large audience at the monthly meeting of tho Wellington branch of the Federation of University Women at Victoria College on Monday even, the subject chosen being "Bull Fights," this being, as the speaker explained, the only profession which had not been invaded by women. The origin of the sport is generally attributed to the Moors, who had a gome of this description, but which was more like the bull-baiting which flourished in England till about the 17th century, when the Puritans put a stop to it. This sport was gradually developed in Spain till it became the modern bull fight, where the bull is supposed to have a fair chance against the man. In tha modern Kull fight* there is, ■aid the speaker, a concrete ring about six feet high, then a narrow corridor which separates the front row of spectators from tho fight, and there are four entrances to the ring. A number of officials in uniform march in a procession round the ring and rood a proclamation which is not taken the slightest notice of by the crowd, being mostly a list of things they must not do. In the great bull-ring in Madrid as many as 12,000 IVei'sons can be seated. There are three i>.cts in the play, the first part beinjf taken by the picadors, or horsemen, who goad the bull with a Jan:e padded to within a few inches of the tip, next the foot-men attack the bull with two short darts in the neck, and the last part, •when the bull is exhausted and has,not muoh fight left in him, Is left to the matadors, whose 'business Is to dispatch the bujl with a broad, flat sword with a short knob for handle, a very difficult and dangerous weapon to handle. Th» matador sometimes 1 has a dangerous time, as a clever brill will feign exhaustion and then suddenly make a swift charge on the man, who is armed with a red mantle and is supposed to finish the bull with one blow. In spite of the danger attaching to the sport, accidents are not numerous, there being only two or three in a year, when 2000 bulls and between six and seven thousand horses are engaged. The speaker advised all his ( hearers who intend making a trip to England to break their journey at Gibraltar for a fortnight, when they ■woujd have a good' chance of seeing a bull-fight at one of the towns of Southern Spain. A hearty vote of thanks -was passed, and supper brought the evening to a close.