THE HEIGHT OF FOLLY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 2 October 1928, Page 9

THE HEIGHT OF FOLLY.

MEN PERCHED ON POLES. FREAK ENDURANCE TEST. SYDNEY, Sept. 13. In its search lor novelty, tne work: seems to be going mad. >sucii an oDyervailion is forced upon one by news of the latest freak contest in Melbourne. There have been many freak ajrtistei in Australia this year. iliej started witn endurance oancing and most, of them danced unit.il tbpy were carried front the floor exhausted. I hen there was the man who danced from Geelong to Melbourne and seemed to be contented when a certain .section <h the community hailed -him as a hero-. Later a man skipped for days on eno and claimed that he had established a world's record. Nobody disputed thi3 tact, and the £lO he received wa, s probably regarded by him as ample compensation. Not to be outdone by these human freaks, another man punched a ball for hours and -hours, but in this instance the claim to a world record was disputed by a Queenslander and as far as i;an be ascertained the dispute has hot been settled. St id. the forld goe s on. and politicians continue to accumulate deficits. , , , , , . But now for [Melbourne’s latest freak contest. On Wednesday last week at 9 p.m. 12 young; men took 'their iplaoeis on scats on the top of poles placed around a Melbourne dance hail. The one who could stay there longest was tot be the winner of the contest. The 12 competitors, it was announced, had been chosen from 301) applicants, one or two of whom were steeplejacks, and nacl satisfied the management that they had special powers of endurance. The msiuagement offered an inducement of £SO to be divided between all who remained on their poles, at midnight on the following, Saturday, in addition to cash prizes for those who outstayed the others. , . , , Each pole was 40ft. high and the circular seats on the top were about lOin. in diameter. This re was no rest for the back and no support of any kind. Rope lets were spread a. few feet befow in case any of the competitors fell. The contest had not proceeded many hours before one of the- men toppled into the net—a miserable sight. A® time went on others, overcome by fatigue, _ and somp obviously in a. state of semi-col-lapse, called 1o be taken down.' Meanwhile. each day and night, the morbid, the curious and the sensation-seekers visited the hall to stare up at the .sitters, to scoff at them and to make bets as to who would be the next to topp’e over into the net. Round the foot of some poles fronds paid proud parents gathered to urge those above to ‘'stick it out.” Meals were served to the competitors from a movable platform. At tini2, s the. men seemed to he in a pi tiable condition. When Saturday night came three of the twelve competitors remained on their post. Between dances patrons of the place stared at 'them as at animals in a cage. One or two of the men appeared to be scarcely conscious. "When the dancing ceased many of the crowd still waited. At a quarter to 12 o’clock the manager announced that as far as he wag concerned it was l midnight and he was prepared to divide the prize money among those who remained. One man immediately slid into the net.