MOANA SPORTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1922, Page 7

MOANA SPORTS

iCO> SUCCESSFUL GATHERING. The season for chopping and sawing i again with us, and it is a pleasure to se contests encouraged, organised, and carriei through as effectively as they, were a Moana on Saturday. The natural phy sique and hardiness of the West Coas bushman was apparent. Those who jour neyed to Moana for excitement travellec not in vain. Twenty-eight competed ii the Open Chop Handicap (15in. white pin< log). In the final an excited crowi watched intently every blow and made n< effort to suppress their feelings. It was ; really classic chop, the competitors chop ping like persons possessed. One, stroki tipped the scales, and the scratch man B. Koeti, won. The time 56sec. for' : 15 inch log is a. long way from a record but then the class of timber, the knots, the grain, has to be considered. In the first heat of the Open Chop, J. Bannister’s time was 53 3-5 seconds, and he. became hot favourite for a win in the final. Act he was unplaced. This competitor had a fairly easy win jn the Upright Chop

Handicap when he chopped a 12-ineh white pine Jog in 46 seconds. The single-handed sawing contest caused fun and excitement. Several competitors, plainly nervous, could not get the saw to settle down; on the other hand it dance dharmlessly on top of the log. 'The competitors bravely struggled on, admist derisive cheers. The winner, G. Jack', won comfortably, with seven seconds to spare. Dancing and rowing also contributed towards the success of the gathering. The dancing was good. In one of the, mile and a-half sculling events fate had it that quite a young man. and a veteran, should race together over the last few hundred yards. Age had not cooled the veteran s ardour, and his popular victory was due as much to his heart as to his limbs’. 1 he committee is entertaining a protest, based <m inconsistent running, in regard to the Kim A\ illiams’ Cup Race, and, until they make an announcement, it is not known to whom this handsome trophy is to go. The committee conducting the sports consisted of Messrs J. Williams (secretary). Caldwell, L. Doherty, I’. Heeney, R. Fitzgerald. G. Row, J. Glover, and D. Moffitt. The Moana bushmen and Air Thompson. Goss and Co., assisted the committee in preparing for the gathering. Results:— Open Chop Handicap (15 inch white

jiine).—Koeti 1 in 56secs, Jack 2 in 1.20, Brooks 3 in 1.32 3-5, Twenty-eight competed. > Maiden Chop (15-in white pine). —Bowan 1 in 1.18 4 5, Smith 2 in 1.24, Kennedy 3 t in 1.29 35. Nineteen competed. Upright Chop Handicap (12-in. white. ’’ pme).—Bannister 1 in 46sec, Brooks 2 in 1 52sec, Koeti and McDiarmid (dead heat) 3. s Twenty competed. [ Handicap Bushmen s Saw (15-in. white pine, two cuts). —Hines and Hines 1, Jack ’ ami .Matson 2. Four competed. Single-handed Sawing Handicap (15-m. white pine). —Jack 1 in 36sec, Dudley 2 in „ 43sec. Thomas 3 in 47 3-ssec. Six corn- ; peted. Maiden Rowing Handicap, 11 miles.— ]>. Heeney 1, C. Lawry 2. Five competed. ’ Time 12min. Boys’ Rowing Handicap, half-mile.—B. McGee 1, A. AVilliams 2. Married Ladies' Race.—Airs Cutchie 1. Mrs Dudley 2, Single Ladies Race.—Miss McA ic 1, Yliss Mills 2. Highland Fling.—Miss E. McMinn 1, Miss M. Robb 2. Irish Jiv- —Miss E. McMinn 1, Miss MRobb 2Sailors' Hornpipe.- Miss Robb 1, Miss McMinn 2.