FITZGERALD'S CIRCUS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13136, 21 November 1904, Page 6

FITZGERALD'S CIRCUS.

■ Fitzgerald's Circus opened a season in, Dunedin on Saturday -night' on the Southern Recreation Ground, very close to the present terminus of-' the clectric trams.' The large tent was packed, and the programme, -jrhicli tow varied and interesting, was received with enthusiasm. Since their last visit to New Zealand the management has secured a number of new performers, notably sv troupe of six Japanese wrestlers from Osaka, Japan. These wrestlers provided what was undoubtedly the " star " turn of tlio evening. Tlicy are short, muscular men, of great' strength, and wear {licit hair long, according to the custom of' their country. The style of wrestling is dif-. fcrent from any practiced in other countries. Tho.Japanese rules, allow a rope ring about, 10ft in diameter. Any grip is permissible*' except by the hair, and a competitor u beaten; if he goes outside the rinp or ii he touches tho ground with any part of his body. The referee, it was explained, was the son of a referee inJapan, the office being one that is passed on from father to son through many generations. Attired in a flowing robe, and holding a fan,' this youth announced in Japanese the conditions under which the wrestling was to ..be: carried on,' and. the contestants then took thei oath of fair play andsubmission to the referee. Tho first- pair of competitors stepped'into the ring, and, on hands and knees, watched one .mother until at a signal from the referee thoy sprang forward and clasped each other by the body, which was, naked to the waist, each endeavouring to throw his opponent out of the ring or to get him down in a way that counted as a fall. They rocked backward and forward, taking a grip by the waist-band or in any other lawful way until one was either forced over the' ring or, as was the case in the final bout, flung fairly ou his back. This-was a feat of remarkable strength, and gained loud applause for -the-victor. Ho was apparently getting the-I worst of' the bout, but- by a splendid effort he I •E9m?teaulted : his" opponent in the ay-'W ' r

thrcwihim on his back outside lie ring. The jeferco was buey'all flio time, shouting advico or'approval or disapproval'of the hold. Tiro of tio*iiien:.tlion give an exhibition of thoir ogiiity in regaining their feet after ja fall. The display'is a very interesting and exciting one, and was watched keenly by tho spectaMiss Sybil Barroni gave a- clover juggling and balancing performance, and Mr Allan Serr introduced some humorous feats on bicycle, on -which he was quite at home, no' matter what position he took up on it. Miss Ethel Aahton's trapczo tvork and wirewalking wii3 gracefully performed, and, with Miss-Kate" Ashton, the same young lady went through ik daring dribble trapezo act. lliss Kate Asliton and Mr James Ashton performed on.horseback; Lycurgus, tlib Javanose boy, was successful in his pony act; Mr Frank Jones's somersault work over a number of hordes, was heartily applauded; and Mr W. H. Wate's bounding jockey act was above the avorago of exhibitions of tile kind. Dr Gordon, tho strong man, gavo a display of feats, of" strength. He throw heavy "weights about with ease, and, besides lifting 6001b witll his teeth, mounted a ladder and on liia shoulders raised a. horse weighing over 700lb, Ho also broke some pieces of chain by chest expansion. Tho horses wore an important feature of tho programme. Commodore" went through his Performance cleverly," and Barbette »n<l Barbcllo worked obediently in rcsponso to their- orders. The trained bronchos and high jumping by tho horses Napoleon and Maltby and the pony Daisy concluded the programme, the pony and Napoleon clearing sft loin. Clowns were in evidence, as usual, one or two of their jokes being quite original, and a juvenile clown was tho cause of much .merriment, besides doing some meritorious tumbling. An extensivo menagerie is attached to the circus, and attracted considerable attention. The orchestra is tinder tho baiton of Mr H. Yale. Another performance will be given this eveu-