The Skating Rinks.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 170, 17 July 1888, Page 2

The Skating Rinks.

Last night waa made a special evening at the skating rink, each rink having an attracting feature. There was a good attendance at ths Theatre Royal, and a great improvement was noticeable with regard to the floor, which baa undergone planing operations. When this has been completed the floor will be capital for gliding on. Shortly after nine the race between Messrs A. Read and B. Johnstone took place. The distance was a mile, or 30 laps. In the first trial there was a foul in the twenty-eighth lap, and it was decided to race over again. Reed soon got the lead, and had 1| laps to the good at the finish, the time being 5 minutes 20 aeoonds, Johnstone's style ot skating was far the best. The Columbian Rink was crowded last night, the costume football match being the great attraction. The matoh was a most amusing one, the audience being convulsed with laughter. Just as the performers appeared the band struck up a gallop, and the players emerged on ths floor. Their get-up was most grotesque, it being impossible to recognise the individuals who represented the Chinamen and Niggers. They gyrated round the room for a few seconds, and then the match began. The play was exciting and amusing, there being a happy exhibition ot cleverness and of the ludicrous. The audience seemed moot joyed when the players were most grieved—that is to say that when one performer went "lumpus” the audience went “ bumpns ” with applause. The match was eventually decided in favor of the Niggers with a goal to nil. A hoop race takes to-night and a juvenile football matoh comes off to. morrow night. Free practice for the latter takes place each afternoon.