WIRTH’S CIRCUS.

Otaki Mail, 20 January 1922, Page 2

WIRTH’S CIRCUS.

COSTS £I6OO A WEEK. •Speaking of the cost of conducting circuses, Mr Phil Wirth stated that his brothers and he found it necessary to charter the l’aloona to take their circus (.Tom Hobart to the Bluff, and that, by, the time they reach Sydney after completing their New Zealand tour, steamer expenses will amount to about £llsO. In addition, they had two special trains from the Bluff to Christchurch, and will require two specials from Wellington’ 1° Auckland. • The New Zealand Railway Department charges them £l. Is a mile for special trains; in Australia the charge is 16s a mile. In Christchurch they paid £4O for a week’s rent of the- ground on which the tent was erected. They paid £IOO to insure their employees and £IOO in bonds, and Mr Wirth has just sent a cheque for £lB2 5s 5d to the Commissioner of Taxes for amusement tax foe a week. He. states that the total cost of the circus, including wages of tho 150 employees and food for tho animals, also railway expenses, but excluding steamer expenses, is about £ISOO or £I6OO a week. This is 50 per cent, more than the eircus cost thirty years ago. In 1890, the Wairarapa brought it from Australia to New Zealand for £350. The circus’s record takings was at. Hamilton, in the Waikato, two years ago. Invercargill came second a few days ago. Wirth’s Circus now doe* not leave Australia and Now Zealand.