FABLES FOR BOWLERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 12, 15 January 1929, Page 6

FABLES FOR BOWLERS.

Bowlers, like anglers, are said to.be given to the telling of tall stories, but a tale that was told at Otaki the other day to the party of visiting Australian sports was probably the most amazing taradiddle that has ever been sprung on a gathering of the kind. In the guise of authentic history, too. The Wellington pakehas and Otaki Maoris entertained the bowlers, and one of the New Zealanderg told this tale as an illustration of the "highest chivalry ever known in war." "There was an historic occasion during the Waikato War when a British force was seriously beleaguered in an impromptu fort. They were cut off from all support, and there seemed to be but two alternatives —to fight to the last man, or honourably surrender to the enemy. The British were running out of both food and ammunition. This with civilised people would have meant the end of the story. But what did the Maoris do but send in supplies of ammunition and food to the beleaguered force, eaying that it was no uso fighting a foe who was without them!' . That, with admiring commentation*, was the story, as chronicled in a Wellington paper and accepted as fact. A lovely tale, indeed 1 Apparently it went down beautifully at Otaki, and as likely as not the local tribe is thinking of incorporating it in its legends, on pakeha authority, as a capital titbit of brag to unload on future visitors. We may find it next in some titled traveller's book about us. —TANGIWAI.