Adam "Queensland Harry" Cahill, 1875-13/11/1957.

Adam Cahill was a stockman and drover from Queensland who took his skills to the circus. He was famous for his challenge: twenty five pounds to the man who could bring him a horse he could not ride.

Amusements

THE GREAT CARNIVAL ATTRACTION, arriving by S.S. MAUNGANUI. 

BARTON BROS' CIRCUS BARTON BROS.' CIRCUS. BARTON BROS' CIRCUS.

and WILD AUSTRALIA. OPENING FOURTH NEW ZEALAND TOUR, 

commencing CHRISTCHURCH MONDAY. AUG. 11th. 

Location—Corner Colombo and St. Asaph streets

THREE SHOWS IN ONE. THREE SHOWS IN ONE. 

CIRCUS, VAUDEVILLE, And WILD AUSTRALIA. 

Emphatically the Largest Circus now Touring Australasia. 30 Star Performers, 30. 60 Horses, Ponies, Donkeys, and Mule, 60. Tho show that always stands supreme. Positively the biggest, brightest, best, and cheapest show in New Zealand. The most powerful, artistic, and versatile combination ever introduced into New Zealand. The show you have heard about, including the following Star Artists: —Special engagement of and direct from America, the Celebrated ASHTON COMPANY, comprising six perfect Lady Acrobats and Gymnasts. THE WALHALLA BROS, (direct from the Leading English Halls), English Comedy Acrobats, Musicians, and Hat Spinners. The Celebrated WALDROP TROUPE, eight in number, of Pyramid Performers (direct from Fillis's Circus, South Africa). A bevy of Beautiful Lady Gymnasts, who perform a meet beautiful Tableau of White Statuary. MISS ETHEL ASHTON, the Sensational Flying Trapeseist. FRANCIS RAY BARTON, the Premier Bareback Rider. MISS ADA LORNE, the Female Grimaldi. JACK TYRELL, King of Horse Trainers. MISS RUBY LOMOND, the Human Serpent. Funny HAPPY JACKLES the Great English Clown and his Performing Animals. MISS GLADYS ST. CLAIR, the Lady Sword Walker. The WISLANG BROS., three in number, Elite Acrobats, Tumblers, Gymnasts, and Height Leapers. MASTER LINDSAY, the Phenomenal Hand-balancer and Dummy Clown. MISS VERA, Fascinating Young Lady Equestrienne. MISS STELLA, the Dashing Hurdle Rider. Note Special Engagement of QUEENSLAND HARRY, the famous Australian Rough Rider and Conqueror of all other Buckjumper Riders. A hero of over 50 Rough-riding Competitions. Remember! This Big Show for ONE WEEK ONLY. Popular Prices: 3s. 2s.. and 1s. Children Half-price. A. O. WISLANG, Touring Representetive.  -Press, 8/8/1913.

BARTON BROS' CIRCUS

There was almost a record attendance at Barton's Circus on Saturday night. All the seating accommodation was taken up and there must have been nearly 700 present. The performance offered was a good one The chief star of all, however was Miss Ethel Ashton, who, in all her many acts, was the embodiment of grace and skill. Her trapeze work was inimitable and her wire rope walking was wonderful. Her act with her sister holding Miss Vera from her teeth and afterwards holding a member of the audience from her teeth, suspended by a pivot chain and swinging him round and round were feats that called forth general admiration. Misses Vera and Stella Ashton gave a vaudeville item which was applauded and Miss Vera also did some graceful riding. Francis Barton gave an admirable display of horsemanship and was applauded. "Happy Jackles" the clown, was a great improvement on the stereotyped clown of our childhood days and was witty and amusing. The bouncing billiard table act was a very good one and caused much amusement. One of the gems of the evening of the circus, as indeed it would be of any performance, was the Statuary Act. It was simply unique and while unique, was magnificent to look upon and was a most beautiful act. The clever horse trainer, Mr Tyrell, exhibited his two clever ponies, while a little chap, Master Barton, as daring dancer and bounding billiard ball, excited no little amusement. The performance concluded with a buck jumping act by Queensland Harry. Unfortunately, the horse in his jumping squeezed through the retaining ropes and scattered the audience in dismay. Fortunately, there was no damage cone. The whole performance was most enjoyable one.  -Greymouth Evening Star, 6/9/1913.

"QUEENSLAND HARRY."

ASSAULTS A HYPNOTIST.

[Per Press Association.] WANGANUI. July 11. At the Magistrate's Court to-day "Queensland Harry," otherwise known as Harry Cahill, a member of a buckjumping circus at present in town, was charged with assaulting B. Crawford, known as "Le Mar, a hypnotist, and inflicting severe injuries, necessitating hospital treatment. Cahill was fined £5, with costs £3 17s.  -The Star, 11/7/1914.

The following is an excellent snapshot of the life and times of Harry Cahill.  Casual racism, men regarding women as property, violence as the natural way for men to settle their "differences."  I am intrigued by the judge's reference to Harry taking "the law into his own hands."  Which law?  What right was the judge conceding to Harry over his girlfriend? Truly, as L P Hartley wrote in "The Go-Between:"  "The past  is a foreign country; they do things differently there."

AN EXPENSIVE BLOW.

SHOWMEN DISAGREE. 

QUEENSLAND HARRY FINED £5. 

A WOMAN IN THE CASE. 

At the Magistrate's Court this morning, Mr W. Kerr, S.M.. has ligated a complaint lodged by B Crawford who is known as Le Mar, against H Cahill, or ‘‘Queensland Harry," a coloured member of a buckjumping circus, for assault. The complainant appeared in the witness box with his face swathed in bandages, and the portions of his face which were visible showed the severity with which he had been handled. Considerable interest was taken in the case, and the place reserved for the public was crowded.

In his evidence Crawford said that on Wednesday afternoon he was standing opposite Chavanne's Hotel when Queensland Harry came up. Continuing, witness said “I said ‘Hullo,’ and he said ‘‘Hullo.’ He was smiling. I turned to talk to another man, when I felt myself falling, and know nothing more until somebody picked me up and bathed my face.'' Witness was taken to the Hospital, and remained there. He was taken out by the police to give evidence, and would re-enter the institution when the case was over.

In answer to questions put by the S.M., witness said that Queensland Harry and himself had had a bit of an argument on Monday night, but they settled it. Since the assault defendant had offered him no reason for assaulting him. 

W. Burrell was a witness of the affair. He was standing on the opposite corner and noticed three men standing under the hotel verandah. He saw defendant coining down from Queen’s Park, smiling to himself and rubbing his hands. The next thing he saw was a clout and a man lying on the ground. He went over to see what was the matter, and was later on told by defendant that it was a row over a female. Complainant had given no provocation whatever, it was a very severe blow between the eyes. 

Dr. Hutson, medical superintendent of the Wanganui Hospital, said that Crawford's injuries consisted of severe bruising on the nose, forehead, and lips. The lip was cut, as also was the forehead. He would be able to leave the institution in a few days.

Mr Cohen, who appeared for defendant, admitted the assault, and informed His Worship that there was a woman in the case. His client was well-behaved and well-conducted, and this was his first appearance in court. Defendant had taken the law into his own hands, for which he was sorry, and expressed regret. Mr Cohen then went on to relate the case as told to him by defendant. Informant had seen the young woman with whom defendant was keeping company, and told her that she should be ashamed of herself, keeping company with a back fellow. She told this to defendant and on Monday night he spoke to complainant about it, and the latter denied the allegation. Defendant thought he had settled the matter, but on Wednesday he saw young woman again, and she had told him that Crawford had repeated the statement that she ought to be ashamed of going with a black fellow, and wanted her to go with him to Dunedin. Defendant believed the girl’s story, and, filled with anger and resentment against the man who attempted, as he thought, to steal the girl, took the law into his own hands. Defendant relied upon the statements made to him by the young woman as being true. Mr Cohen asked for a fine instead of a term of imprisonment. 

His Worship said that defendant had no right to take the law into his own hands and added that he  should be no stranger to the law. A fine of  £5 was imposed. with costs amounting to £4 17s. The fine was paid.  -Wanganui Herald, 11/7/1914.

"QUEENSLAND HARRY.”

AUSTRALIA’S CHAMPION ROUGH RIDER. 

Australian riders can hold their own in any company in the taming of rogue horses and the mastering of the most vicious buck-jumpers. Chief amongst them is Queensland Harry, a horseman who has, in his day, won all the big buck-jumping contests of Australia and New Zealand, and who is acknowledged to be the champion of champions. He has brought a big combination of wire-walkers, tumblers, a lady sharpshooter, roughriders, buck-jumpers and bucking bullocks to Levin, and will open on the showgrounds each day. Chatting with a press representative, Queensland Harry challenged the owner of the wildest horse in the district to bring him along to the show. The Buckjumpers should have a full tent at every session.  -Horowhenua Chronicle, 17/1/1922.

QUEENSLAND HARRY IN COURT.

BOUND OVER TO KEEP THE PEACE

A sitting of the Levin Police Court was held this morning before Messrs. P. W. Goldsmith and D. W. Matheson, J.P.’s, when Harry Cahill, known as “Queensland Harry,” was charged on the information of his wife, Glory Helen Cahill, with threatening to do her bodily harm. She asked that defendant be bound over to keep the peace.

Evidence was given by complainant that on Thursday defendant had threatened to “rip her up,” and she was afraid of her life. Drink was the cause of the trouble. Defendant had "played up" at Taihape on a previous occasion.

Defendant admitted that at different times they had family quarrels, but he was quite willing to go and leave her to it. They had separated before and had come together again. Mr Harper, who appeared for defendant, submitted it was not a case for sureties, complainant's proper procedure being to go for a separation and maintenance order.

The Bench held there were grounds for sureties, and defendant was bound over in two sureties of £l0, and himself in a similar amount, the term to he for six months.

Richard F. Cameron and Harold Faulkner, employees of “Queensland Harry,” also applied that defendant be bound over. They alleged the defendant had threatened them and they were afraid of their lives.

The Bench, in dismissing the charges, said if complainants were afraid of their lives they could get employment elsewhere. They were not compelled to remain in defendant's employ.  -Horowhenua Chronicle, 3/2/1923.

"QUEENSLAND HARRY” 

Will be Showing on SATURDAY NIGHT 

For One Night Only at CORNER OF MUELLER & KENNY STREETS 

This great Australian horseman is recognised to day as the world's greatest rider. This will be your last opportunity to see him ride before his departure to the British Exhibition to ride before the King and Queen. “Queensland Harry” will ride bareback the Australian outlaw, Queensland. 

He also has a troupe of clever performers, headed by the clever young artist, 

TUI LORRAINE Wire Walker, Contortionist, Song and Dance Artist. 

OWEN AND LEO The Australian Midget Boxers, 

TUI AND OWEN In their Hawaiian entertainment, introducing the latest dance from the South Sea Island, “The Honolulu Hula Whaka.”

Also: Jerry the Clown, in his Spanish bull fight; Mexican Pedro, in his death ride; the Hawaiian Two, Ukulele and Steel Guitar; Jerry and Koko, the two funny clowns.

Prizes will be given for the best local riders, also bull riders. Popular Prices.  -Waihi Daily Telegraph, 13/4/1923.

Magistrate's Court

Harry Cahill, otherwise and more familiarly known as “Queensland Harry,” was fined 20/- and costs 7/ for a breach of his prohibition order.  -Manawatu Times, 27/2/1925.

DARGAVILLE COURT CASES.

(By Telegraph. — Own Correspondent.) DARGAVILLE, this day. At the Police Court Ned Griffin was fined £10 for procuring liquor for a prohibited person. Hairy Cahill, alias "Queensland Harry" was fined 40/ for consuming liquor while prohibited. Robert Pyne was fined 20/ for drinking whisky with a prohibited person. T. Downs was fined 40/ for selling short weight butter to a storekeeper named Haines. The charge against the latter was dismissed on defendant paying costs. The weight of a pat of butter sold was 15 ounces 10 drams.  -Auckland Star, 10/7/1925.

Amusements

QUEENSLAND HARRY'S BIG NEW 

CIRCUS AND RODEO

CIRCUS AND RODEO 

With the World's Miracle Horseman, QUEENSLAND HARRY 

Recognised by Press and Public as the Greatest Rider of All Time. 

-15 GREAT ACTS-

-15 GREAT ACTS-

Starring Engagement of Little Olar, the Wonder Child. World's Foremost Trapeze Artist. 

Suvla's Performing Dogs Zeta, the Marvellous Child Telepathist 

And Acrobats, Contortionists, Wirewalkers, Clowns, Performing Ponies, Bucking Donkeys, Lassooing, Sharp-shooting, and Buckjumpers Galore

£2 For 30 Seconds; Local Riders   -Northern Advocate, 17/7/1925.

CIRCUS PERFORMANCE

QUEENSLAND HARRY COMPANY.

The opening performance of Queensland Harry's circus last night attracted a fairly large and very appreciative audience to the Whangarei Winter Show Buildings. Items which won applause were the tight-rope walking of Little Olar and the skill displayed by Queensland Harry in his riding of the  buck-jumpers. The performance throughout was uniformly good.

Much amusement was caused by the efforts of several local boys to ride the bucking donkeys, one lad evincing great determination and pluck and mounting time and again after being thrown in divers ungainly attitudes all over the ring. 

The invitation to local talent to try conclusions with the buck-jumping horses was not accepted, possibly owing to Queensland Harry explaining that the horses knew the regular circus performers and therefore did not really put their backs into their work. It was felt that if the display of buckjumping as witnessed by the spectators were a mere bagatelle to that given by the animals when ridden by a stranger it were better to take Queensland Harry's word for their liveliness when really trying. 

Considerable mystification was caused by the display of telepathy by Zeta, who sat blindfolded in the centre of the ring and nominated cards chosen at random from the pack by various spectators. The writing down of the answer to an addition sum composed by the spectators also caused much wonderment. 

In addition to her marvellous poise and balance on the tight-rope Little Olar proved that she is a very skilled exponent of flying-trapeze work, her demonstrations in this class of work being warmly applauded. 

The clowns proved an unfailing source of mirth, more especially to the juveniles among the spectators.  -Northern Advocate, 18/7/1925.

Police Court

ONE HIT WAS ENOUGH. 

Henry Cahill (32), an Australian aboriginal with long flowing black hair and better known as "Queensland Harry" and Ralph Martin Byfield (31) were each charged with fighting in the Civic Square. 

Byfield, who was bailed after his arrest, did not appear. Cahill appeared and pleaded not guilty. 

Sergeant Calwell said that Byfield, who was drunk at the time, struck Cahill first. Cahill then struck the other man and put him out. "One hit was quite enough." added the sergeant. 

Cahill explained that Byfield and another man "butted in" and called him a "black fellow." On being struck by Byfield he simply proceeded to defend himself. Byfield, who had a previous conviction for a breach of the pence, was fined £3, while Cahill was convicted and discharged.   -Auckland Star, 24/8/1925.

When “Queensland Harry’’ a wellknown figure among peregrinating showmen round this country was giving evidence in the Magistrate's Court at Hamilton yesterday, in answer to an application by his wife for separation, he specifically instanced one occasion on which, according to "Harry’s" story, his wife was the aggressor. The circus was in session at one of the North Auckland centres at the time when ‘'Harry” alleged his wife rushed into the ring, scratched his face and kicked him. That was during the performance, to still quote "Harry”, who added that he "passed off" to the audience as one of the items of the programme. Maybe they enjoyed this little “tit-bit,” of the bill of fare!   -Waikato Times, 20/3/1926.

MATRIMONIAL WOES.

LIFE ON THE SHOW CIRCUIT. 

HUSBANDS ILL-TREAT WIVES. 

 ‘‘Queensland Harry” Acts.

Glory Helen Cahill, wife of Harry Cahill, known as “Queensland Harry,” brought a claim for separation on the grounds of persistent cruelty to her and her children, and that he was an habitual inebriate. The wife claimed maintenance, for herself. 

It was shown that the complainant was the proprietress of a small circus which travelled round the country. It was alleged that defendant had taken excessive liquor on occasions, although prohibited, and these were the periods on which it was alleged that the cruelty look place. The climax was reached at Morrinsville Show period, when ‘Queensland Harry’ became inebriated and handled his wife cruelly, so the witness who saw the occurrence related.

Complainant said that she had £1000 when she married "Queensland Harry” in Christchurch in 1918, which went towards the purchase of the circus equipment. For the defence it was maintained that if complainant put her husband out of the circus, in which it was maintained by counsel he was the principal attraction, he would have no opportunity of providing maintenance. It was not denied that the disagreements had taken place. It was asserted by some of the witnesses for the defence, that complainant had had drinks with the husband.

The latter attested that his wife was drunk at Morrinsville. In asserting that he was not getting a fair deal out of the “house-takings,” defendant said he should be one of the wealthiest showmen about, but was not in that happy position, he alleged that complainant had been placing drink in his way.

The Magistrate, in granting the application for separation and maintenance, said that there was no doubt from the evidence that defendant was an habitual inebriate. He believed also that complainant had been drunk on occasions, but that did not deprive her from protection against her husband's cruelly and inebriate habits. The sum of £1 a week was fixed as the maintenance payment, while £2 2s costs were allowed.  -Waikato Times, 20/3/1926.

CUPID IN THE CIRCUS

Glory Didn't Like Her Wild Hubby's Taming Tricks 

BEAUTY, BEER AND BRONCHOS 

(From "Truth's" South Auckland Representative.) 

"Queensland Harry," equestrian dare-devil, has come to the conclusion that wild horses are not in it when it comes to taming wild women.

HARRY CAHILL, better known to the public of New Zealand as "Queensland Harry," rider and breaker of wild bronchos, apparently struck the snag of his life when Cupid shot his dart with unerring aim at Harry's heart in 1918. 

The dart, however, snapped off at an awkward angle. 

The bride, who brought into the treasury as a dowry, one thousand gilders, did not find the pictured love in a tent with Harry the bed of roses she had imagined. 

Glory Helen, to give Harry's bride her full Christian name, did not let her hubby get his hands on the thousand quidlets. 

She was a little too shrewd for that. 

She did, however, invest it in a proposition which, with the assistance of her husband's equestrian prowess, she hoped would swell the dowry into a fair-sized fortune. 

In short, she put the money into a circus, and anyone who has visited a fairground in this country during the past five or six years must have heard Harry's wild whoop and seen the Australian aboriginal decked out in his Wild West costume. 

If they were careless enough with their shillings they will also have paid Glory Helen the price of admittance to a very indifferent show, for her part was to handle the shekels at the entrance. 

"A TERRIBLE RUMPUS." 

From what Glory told the Hamilton Court last week, however, when she applied for a separation from Harry and maintenance for herself, her husband's whoops and taming efforts were by no means confined to the circus. He was, she said, far too intimate with John Barleycorn, and on such occasions he "took to" her in such a way that she had become positively scared of him. 

Although he was prohibited, he managed to get an ample supply of liquor, and on almost every show night there was a terrible rumpus m the camp when Harry tried his taming tricks on his better-half. 

Ample evidence was brought to show that Harry knocked Glory about most unmercifully at times, and generally, when he was what is described as "tanked," he created a regular furore in the camp. 

Harry had a different story to tell, however. He was, in fact, a perfectly innocent and greatly injured husband, and was far more sinned against than sinning. 

He stoutly maintained that he was not the bad man that Glory had tried to make out, and held that she was quite able to hold her own with him when it came to shifting liquor. 

It appeared that Harry's chief grievance, as he proceeded with his story, was that he was not getting his fair share of the circus takings. 

This was a very sore point with him, seeing that he was the star attraction, "the big drum," as it were, of the whole show. 

This was, at any rate, Harry's estimate of himself, but it differed somewhat from his wife's appraisal of him, for she declared that the show got on quite well without him when he was "left out in the cold" at the great Ngaruawahia regatta last week. 

At Morrinsville he made such "a holy show" of her and treated her so vilely, knocking her down, kicking her and jumping on her, that he was told by her that the end of their alliance was at hand and she consequently excluded him from the bill at the Ngaruawahia regatta. 

LOST HIS SHARE. 

Harry attributed the trouble at Morrinsville, however, to the fact that his wife was drunk, and said she was in the habit of placing drink in his way. 

Had he had his fair share of the takings, he declared, he should have been one of the wealthiest showmen about. 

Harry specified an instance of his wife's peculiar temperament and waywardness which, he said, occurred at one of the North Auckland centres where they were showing. 

He was in the ring going through one of his performances when his wife suddenly staged an unrehearsed act by rushing into the ring and scratching his face and kicking him. 

Harry, with the coolness of the veteran showman, merely passed the incident off as part of the show. 

When asked by his own counsel if he was prepared to make it up with Glory, Harry plaintively replied: "I adore the ground she walks on." 

Glory was not to be cajoled or mollified by Harry's pathetic profession of devotion, however, and she stoutly refused to welcome him back. 

Magistrate Wyvern Wilson said there was no doubt from the evidence that defendant was an habitual inebriate. 

He believed also that complainant had been drunk on occasions. 

That, however, did not deprive her of protection against her husband's cruelty and inebriate habits. 

The Magistrate granted the wife's application and fixed the maintenance at £1 per week. He also allowed her two guineas costs.  -NZ Truth, 1/4/1926.

TORTURING A HORSE.

A SHOWMAN FIXED. (By Telegraph.-Press Association.) WANGANUI, this day. Harry Cahill, familiarly known as "Queensland Harry," a well-known showman, was charged in Court to-day with ill-treating a horse at Dannevirke on February 10. It was alleged that during buck jumping exhibitions the defendant did torture a horse. Defendant was fined £5 and costs £1 6/6.  -Auckland Star, 17/6/1926.

ARROWTOWN. 

Circus and Buckjumping. Thursday, 30th December 

CARIAN’S CIRCUS & BUCKJUMPERS, 

headed by QUEENSLAND HARRY, 

Marvellous Outlaw Rider. 

Full Circus Programme. 

Brass Band in attendance. 

Popular Prices. 

Location: Opposite Police Station.  -Lake County Press, 23/12/1926.

EAGLE IN EMU'S NEST

"Queensland Harry" Biffs His Wife's Sailor Friend

WILD WEST SHOW IN COURT

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Invercargill Representative.)

IT'S a long cry to the visit of the American Fleet, but Admiral Coontz left behind him — though unwillingly — a representative of the U.S. Navy, the person of Clarence Borden, who is still rated on the ship's books as "absent without leave!"

At the Invercargill showgrounds "after the ball" the mummers had their own private entertainment, and the aftermath was that the American sailor charged Harry Cahill, who is known in the Wild West ring as "Queensland Harry," with assault. 

Clarence wished the judge to bind the Australian aboriginal over to keep the peace.

The body of the court resembled a Seltzer setting for a cowboy novel. Long-haired, open-shirted, flowing-kerchiefed heroes of a hundred fights swore they would tell the truth, and one set of mountebanks flatly contradicted what the other lot had taken their Bible Oath was true. 

Asides were numerous, and "Silence in the Court!" merely served as an unwarrantable interruption, to: "That's wrong, buddy! Oh, just hear that!" and, the gasp would be deep and reproachful.

Borden's cross-examination by Lawyer Meredith brought out that Mrs. Cahill had given the "American leave" man employment about twelve months ago. 

Subsequently Harry's wife obtained a separation order with charge of the two children born in wedlock — a boy and a girl. 

The boy, who is about 14 years of age, does "girl" stunts and looks the part. He is as white as his mother, not taking after the aboriginal side of the family. "Queensland Harry" had seen Clarence near his tent and had called out: "Come here, buddy, I want to speak to you. You are the cause of my wife separating from me."

"Come over to the boys," said Borden. 

Jack Laing, a showman employed by Mrs. Cahill, told the bench that Harry assaulted Borden, held him down and began to do things to his ear, demanding why Borden was sleeping in the same tent as Mrs. Cahill. 

Under cross-examination, Laing admitted that there had been no trouble between Australia and America until the eagle began to nest in the emu's tent. 

Borden explained that he went there to protect Mrs. Cahill and that the boy and the girl slept there, too. He had not gone looking for trouble and he did not know how the flatiron which belonged to Mrs. Cahill should have been found where Harry had sat on him. He had not gone "heeled"; he was not the aggressor. 

Alexander Pope, who travelled in the same circus as Harry, swore that Borden was truculent and had made for Harry, and that the Queensland outlaw-rider had merely upended Clarence and sat on his head. 

Another witness said that Mrs. Cahill's man, Laing, had, been "very heavily lubricated" and had fallen into the fire.

Lawyer Meredith stressed the flatiron and the fact that Clarence had been invited to make up his bunk in Mrs. Cahill's tent. 

Harry was a quiet man, but the deserter's sleeping quarters had been changed and the separated husband objected. 

 "Queensland Harry" has ridden many an outlaw and gained glory and gold for so doing; but the magistrate fined the disconsolate aboriginal 20/- for sitting on a fallen eagle's head.  -NZ Truth, 30/12/1926.

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Carlan’s Circus and Rodeo will show at Clyde to-night, Alexandra to-morrow, Naseby Wednesday and Ranfurly Thursday. The circus is beaded by Queensland Harry, and includes Professor D’Almaine, Hassan Khan, Chico & Joey, Harry Catusch, and many others. A feature of the Rodeo will be the buckjumping horses, mules, ponies and donkeys. For further particulars see our advt. columns and hoardings. 

At Hull's Pictures at Clyde, on Thursday night as usual, the star picture will be ‘Laughing at Danger,' with Richard Talmadge and Eva Novak in the principal parts. If you’re looking for the last word in excitement don’t miss this thrilling picture.  -Dunstan Times, 3/1/1927.

CARIAN'S CIRCUS AND RODEO 

EVERYTHING NEW, NOVEL, AND STARTLING 

TWO SHOWS IN ONE 

20 STAR ARTISTS The Pick of the Circus Arena. 

RICHMOND — THURSDAY NIGHT. NELSON — FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS. MATINEE SATURDAY AFTERNOON. 

A REWARD of £10 will he given to any person or persons that can produce a horse, broken or unbroken, that can throw Queensland Harry, the celebrated Australasian Aboriginal rider, in any time.   -Nelson Evening Mail, 9/3/1927.

DOT'S LITTLE FOLK

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLK

Dear Dot, — One Thursday I paid my first visit to a big show. I enjoyed myself very much. As soon as we, entered the gates our attention was attracted by a crowd standing round the sheep paddock, and Just as we looked, a gate in the corner was opened, and three shorn sheep were driven into the paddock, where a man and his dog stood waiting. For a while both stood waiting, and then the dog started. He quietly approached the sheep, which, after a bit of manoeuvring on the part of the dog, and a series of whistles on the part of the man, were backed through one gate, then through two posts, and then through two more. After that the dog put them in four hurdles In the middle of the paddock, and not once did he run more than two yards at one time. As it was the first dog trial I have seen I could not say whether it was very good or not, but to me it seemed wonderful. From there we wandered on past farm implements, cars, new milking machines, etc. - there were numbers of old dairy farmers about - a musical tent containing wireless sets, gramophones, etc., and from there on to the place where all the cattle were housed. Though the cattle were tied up we kept well away, for the bulls were making a great noise. Some of the bulls had covers on. I would not like to put a cover on a bull, would you? I generally like at least two fences between us. Next we directed attention to the side shows. The first one we listened to was "Queensland Harry.” who kept telling the “Ladies and Gentlemen” that they would never regret the shilling they spent on seeing him ride. The next show we listened to was that of two brothers, who were going to do wonders on their motorcycle and motor car. Just then the next man piped up that some girl was going to do some acts such as one reads about in Wild West stories: then another man kept calling out about his circus act. To entice people, about six wee dogs and a monkey were put in a box in view of the people. Indeed one did not know which show to visit first. At the “Chocolate Alley” I won a pencil, a comb, a bar of chocolate, and a needle case, containing all different kinds of needles, but my brother beat us all, for he won a big fancy wooden box of chocolates. Before leaving we visited the building where all the baking, fancywork, etc., was. The scones, cakes, and biscuits made one’s mouth water, and the fancywork was exquisite. I do not think I could ever have enough patience to do all that was in the winning supper cloth, or indeed any of the work. The hand-knitted socks were just like bought ones, and there was a beautifully knitted shawl which looked very fine and soft. I could write much more about the show, but this is quite long enough. Kindest, regards to all.

NIPPER'S MISTRESS (Otekaike).

[What a good description, Nippers Mistress! I have greatly enjoyed rending your letter, which you have written in such a way, as to make all that you saw seem to be visible to the reader also. Thank you very much for it. — DOT.]  -Otago Daily Times, 4/12/1933.

And that's almost the last of "Queensland Harry" from the newspapers offered by "Papers Past" - except for an appearance at the local Studholme Gymkhana of 1939, riding a bucking steer back to front - at 64 years of age.

For Harry's later life, I am indebted to his biography, written by John Foley.  Harry retired to a hut in Waimate, living off his pension and still a horseman.  Foley's biography has a photo of Harry, still bucking at the age of 71.  His health became delicate with age and cold winter nights were sometimes spent in the local hospital.  One day he broke a leg - just the last in many similar injuries which were part of the life of the buckjumper.  But it was too much for Harry and he succumbed to this last injury.

Waimate Cemetery.