MURRAY'S HIPPODROME.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 532, 23 September 1871, Page 2

MURRAY'S HIPPODROME.

After a successful career of the Grea' World Company of circus performers, both ia Auckland and at the Thames, Mr. Murray struck a new idea, aud determined upon giving a series of out-of-door sports and horse and chariot racing, based on the foundation of the old Komau and Grecian Hippodromic Games. To this end, lie obtained a lease of the Albert Barrack Square, end established a stadium in that place. A stand, capable of holding 100u people was erected, and covered over with an awning which drooped over the back and protected the loiver portion, occupied as a hotel and restaurant- by the enterprising and well-known caterer to public convenience, Mr. Perkins of the Occidental. The whole arrangements were of a superior kind: the racecourse, or stadium, was well fenced-in, the chariots were very good and fair imitations, so far as we can judge, of those employed in ancient days; and the horses were most certainly superior to those of the heavy dray-horse kind upon which the equites were wont to mount. A number ol leading gentlemen of the city acted as a committee, aud ensured that the arrangements should be all that could be desired. At the appointed time a great number of persons were present, the grand stand was. fast filling, and a stream of people was flowing in at every gate of the enclosure, —promising a full attendance. At the time, however, when our reporter bad to leave, the first event —that is the charioLraee— had not coma off, and we can. only infer fromtlie scale of preparations, and tlie apparent probabilities, that Mr. Murray's enterprise could not fail in being a grand success.