NEW ZEALAND WOODCHOPPERS

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 217, 23 September 1916, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND WOODCHOPPERS

AjN'OTIIBR CONTEST.

\Fr6m Captain Malcolm Ross, War Correspondent with the New Zealand Forces). i . The interest in the work in the forest, by. members of the Pioneer Bat. tahon, mostly Maoris, continues, and there has been another contestl tljat has attracted a gooc^ deal of attention locally. So far the Maori has been always tho victor, but> the other day someone unearthed a young "pakeha" from the. < New Zealand Cyclists, v who, ii> was said, would give the Maori champion "a good go." . The competition took place, in a forest of 50,000 acres, conic 30,000 acres- of which we are cutting out for the purposes of/ war. The cutting is done scientifically, the trees of the grea;<e'st value being left, and all trees are cuti off level with the ground. The first event... on this programme was the 'championship chop, in which Pvt. 'Slnjwry, said to be the world!s champion, com.neted against , Pvt. Butler, Forest Contd-ol champion, and throe^ othei;-Maoris. After a close and exciting contest, Pvt. Shewry, the newcomer, was declared to be the winner, wiiih Pvt. Tamaki second. In the underhand chopping competition, Juanco-Corpl. Bannister was first, and Pvt. Butler second, Shewry being beaten by both these Maoris.. - , A cross-cut sawing competition was won by Pvts. Butler and Tamaki, a thick log being sia yni through in the almost incredible ' time of twenty sofionds, to tihe great astonishment of the English onlookers.. One of the. Maoris gave an exhibition 6t the French style,of tree-fell-ing, and another Maori showed' how, the topmost branches are'first cut-off a big tre» before it is felled. At the closo of the competition General GoclleV presented prizes to the successful competitors.