WAIRARAPA DAYS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 29 November 1930, Page 10

WAIRARAPA DAYS

ATHLETIC DAYS REVIVED THE CADWALLADERS, FATHERAND SON. (By “Physical Culturist. ”) (All Rights Reserved.) Scanning through the catalogue at the Hawefa Show last week, my eyes rested on the words, “Friesian — Judge: O. Cadwallader, Esq., Greytown.” That Mr Cadwallader knows his breed is proved by the fact that he won the championship at the Hastings Royal Show this year with. the. bull King Olga Ormsby and owned the cow which won the championship in 1928 at the Palmerston North Royal Show and which, on being sold to a South Island breeder, .again won the championship at tlm snvercargill Royal Show in 1929. That Mr Cadwallader has made good with the Black and Whites may be seen on his green grass farm at Greytown, where he has nearly 1(M) head. However, it was not its a cowman that the writer first met Owen C. At that time he was just rising 14 years of age, a favourite with all who knew him and spoken of as “Owie Cad,” much as in the same way his father, the hefty Wairarapa rep. forward of 27 to 30 years ago, was referred to as “Art Cad.” At that period the Wairarapa. Rugby forwards were a weighty and a hefty lot, a few of whom could use their hands as well as feet, while Art. Cadwallader was admittedly the best man in the South Wairarapa, either with the gloves on or off. When this writer made his home in the Wairarapa, Art. was past his prime, though .still handy with his “dookes.”

It so happened that one Peder Anderson enlisted my services to teach him boxing in order to take his own part with a quarrelsome man who lived near Carterton and used to waylay Peder on liis way home at night, always wanting to fight. Anderson had a camp on Oates Island, formed by the branching off of the Ruamahunga and joining up again lower down. Peder fitted up his camp with punch balls, skipping ropes and gloves and trained in the open air until he was confident he could heat his tormenter. Although I write it myself, I had taught him hits, stops and footwork and he carried a powerful punch in either hand. Most of my visits to the island and the coaching of Peder were carried out secretly. However, a member of another family living on the island one day struck the camp when Peder and I were in the midst of a hot- rally and the secret was out. Sufficient to say Peder ever afterward had the freedom of the road. Shortly after this Art. Cadwallader, who was an ardent cleer stalker, put it to Anderson to accompany him in a deer stalking expedition to White Rock station, where they were to camp for a month. Nothing loth, my pupil, who was noted for the cleer heads he used to secure, accepted the invitation. It was a month later that one Saturday evening _ Andenson .met me in Carterton. Said he: “Come along to the fish shoo and have a fish and chips. I have something to toll you.” Over our cup of tea this i-s wifi at he said :

“When we got to- White Rock we pitched the tent and made our camp. We were very tired, so we turned in early and both slept soundly till daylight, when Art. roused me out. We got up and prepared an early breakfast, after which we sat and talked a while. Then he stood up, went over to his blankets and unpacked a bundle. Returning with a set of gloves he dropped them at my feet. In ray surprise I said, ‘What the devil is this, Art?’ I was not long in doubt, for he said: ‘You know what they are. They are gloves. I have heard you are a good man, Peder, and I want to find out how good you are, so the best thing to do is to put them on and if you are a better man than me you will win.’ I said, ‘But who is to see fair play?’ Art. soon settled that when he'.said, ‘There will be only you and me. We can both play fair. Are you game?’ So what was I to do? We fixed the gloves on and fought for all we were worth. My word, I was glad yon taught me to hit straight and hard. As you know, lie is heavy and every nunch had all his weight behind it. "I kept shooting out my left at his throat and wind, occasionally stepping in with a right to liis ribs, hut as he kept coming in for more I did not take any chances by getting too l close. There were . no rounds. We just fought on to a finish. When he did get close I slipped most of his blows, though some got home, and when they did I saw stars, although the sun was up. Well, J was iollv glad when he said, ‘That mill do, Peder. I am satisfied.’ And I give you my word I was, too. ”We had a wash, cleaning awav the blood, but my word we were stiff and sore and didn’t do much stalking for

■several days. He wanted to knot 1 how vou came to teacli me and an about vou. And several times since he has* told me he will get you to teach Owen, and he is in town to-nigiit looking for you.” , ~ Just then Art. Cadwallader and his son entered the room, and the former asked me to teach his boy boxing. Circumstances at that time would not permit me to do so, as I had just entered into an agreement to teach only for one institution. I suggested that, as lie was recognised as the best man in the South Wairarapa he could teach liis son himself. He then paid me wliat I then thought, and have thought ever since, was a compliment. In a; manly wav he said: “No. I own up iin a rough and tumble I have always held my own, but Peder and I had a' ding-dong go out at White Pock,* and I admit lie lias too much science for me.” To which I further suggested he should get Anderson to teach. his son. Fixing me with his eyes he said : * ‘No. I want the man who taught Peder.” After some further conversation wo agreed, if circumstances permitted a little later, that- I should take the hov in hand. However, Owen was destined to make his mark without my aid. Shortly after this the Wairarapa Boxing Association was formed, with centres at Masterton and Carterton. This scribe, being associated with its formation, recommended the appointment of its first instructor, F. Maloney, the lightweight. Owen Cadwallader joined the Carterton branch. quickly showing talent of a surprising order. Boxing in the lightweight class, by the time he was 16 he had won 13 contests without suffering a defeat, and at the ase of 16 he was an outstanding figure. When only 16 he met liis only defeat for the lightweight championship pf the Wairarapa after a gruelling go, being beaten on points by Norman McJjaugblan, a man much older than I himself and as hard as nails. South Wairarapa and many in the north looked forward to the next meeting of the pair in the ring, when they fully expected Owen to avenge. his defeat by turning the tables on his opponent, thus clearing the way to a New Zealand championship, but it was not to be. The death of liis father, the wellknown and highly esteemed Art. Cadwallader, as the result of a motor accident —one of the first fatal motor accidents in New Zealand —caused a change of plans. Taking up his Igte father’s responsibilities, he threw himself wholeheartedly into the work on. the farm. Working long hours, he never had the time, even if he had the ambition, to train. It is useless now to write what might have been, hut it must lie remembered that when only 16 he had climbed well up the pugilistic ladder at a. period before the war when New Zealand was rich in boxing talent, either in the lightweight class or the welter. Though still fond of a bout with the gloves, Jat age 3-5 (his interests lie in a ring of another nature, either as a judge or as an exhibitor of Black and Whites.