Awake, Axemen, Attention

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2488, 26 July 1893, Page 2

Awake, Axemen, Attention

(Contributed by Slasher). Taranaki can boast of more axemen than any other district in the colony, and many of their number are far and away beyond tbe ordinary olasa that style themselves buehmen. The surroundings naturally tend to make the men expert, for tbey commenced swinging an axe fefore they knew tbeir 'alphabet, and a broken axe* handle was tbeir first toy. So far no effort has been made to bring out the good men, and my objeot in taking up the question is to Bee if there iB any possibility of the more expert being brought prominently to tbe front as champions. The following explains itself;— A Southlander has reoeived from Mr H. A. Nionols, secretary or the Axemen's Association, Latrobe, Tasmania, a letter in whioh tbe writer states that he ib authorised by Borne of the axemen tbere to back T. Reßves, ex-ohampion ot Tasmania, to chop any man in New Zealand for £25 lor upwards) aside — tbe match to be chopped at Latrobe, about the time of the Axemen'i gathering in November next, and New Zealand timber to be used. Tbe cost of getting the io°s to Tasmania muet be borne by tbe New Zealand man unless an arrangement be made otherwise. Should the match take place at tbe Latrobe sports tbe Axemen's Association will award a gold medal to the winner. Neither the present nor the past champion axemen of Tasmania is a bushman, both Marshall and Reeves having been clerks. I might add that for tbe other events at tbe Axemen's gathering substantial prizes are offered, and if I rightly remember the particulars of the last contest in Tasmania, a certain sum was allowed to New Zealanders as travelling expenses. I feel confident that if a team of Taranaki axemen went over that they would give a good account of themselves. As to the expenee I am certain that if any good men announoed tbeir intention of upholding the honor of Taranaki that funds would soon be raised by chopping competitions and voluntary contributions. In con. clußion, if the exobampion of Tasmania were here his ohallange would soon be accepted. ["Why Bhould there not be an axemen's contest here ? — Ed.]