FILLIS' CIRCUS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2437, 27 May 1893, Page 2

FILLIS' CIRCUS.

Mr Allan Hamilton, who is in oharge of all business ahead of FiiHs' Cirous, wai interviewed at Wanganui on Thursday and gave some particulars of tbe show, la the course of conversation with Si Chroniole reporter he said :—

"Yes, we bring tbe entire sbow to Wanganni — circus and menagerie— and you oan assure your readers tbat they will be treated to precisely the same programmes tbat bave made the oam* of* v * Fiilis ' a household word throughout th» length aud breadth of Australia,. wber<________» spite of all the depression that avemtSfMKi existed, our receipts were largest sdid ont^F seasons longer than ever •xJMri«_o«d br v any simitaf show. We travel b» two special trains, each ' cohdoctld by tw* engines. Oae very ia^rtint k»tbr» lT tbat our afternoon performano-*WiiiiiU_ equal to those given in ib* «*««!»; io*!,-. patrons from tb« 'oonftft distriota who desire to return faom« w&.wolaw i£

doubt ttbou whether they will see FilhV Circus and M . io its entirety at th» matinees. 11 And now I suppose you want to know something about oar Menagerie? Well, we have a den of Nnbiao Hods — four in number — wbioh have been acknowledged to be tbe finest specimens ever seen tbis ■ide of the equator. They are all performers and at every representation are pot through a thrilling exhibition. Of course yon have seen many tigers bebiod tbe bars of a oage, bnt Mr Fillis believes in varying snob monotony, and we now present to you a tiger loose in the rinjj. " Don't be alarmed, my Rood friend, for although loose, precautions in the shape of a ten foot high fenoe, whiob eooircles tbe ring, are taken to avoid the possibility of any accident oooorriog. Then we have monkeys galore, panthers, zebras, gor. tilts, and » hairless horse, who, to use tba ■bowman's language, is alone worth the price ol admission. "Coming to the stables Mr Fillis is justly prpnd of his horses, of which there are 60 and 12 ponies, all trained to the highest pitch of perfection by the proprietor bim< M.lf. Let mo call your special attention to tbe Arabs, the Hungarian horses, Madame Fillis 1 horse ' Victoria,' and the marvellously trained ' Eisbet,' who is introduced by Mr Fillis in bis realistic sketch ' Dying to Save tbe Colours,' whioh is an emphatic success wherever produced. Our pay-sheet shows 160 persons in tbe company, oat of wbom 70 artists represent tbe very pick of tbe circus prpfession in London and tbe Continent. Evqry artiste comes to us with a big reputation, whether riders, downs, gymnast, tumbler, or lion-tamer, for I need not tell yon that in a concern like ours it would not pay to cart abont •duffers.' Every day spent upon the toad represents £400, and I am pleased to say that during our New Zealand tonr oar receipts bave never fallen short of this lam. The Whole of tbe tents, which cover an area of 450 z 260 ft, are lighted by gas, which is ar vaßt improvement on the lataps ordinarily used. >< 11 Pray inform your javeoHo'friends that we are well provided with olownp. There are 11 in all, and if these merry men eanoot make yon forget that any bank •ver went broke— but I forgot ; lam io New Zealand, and not in reconstructing Anitralia."