TRIALS OF GOLFERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19953, 23 May 1928, Page 14

TRIALS OF GOLFERS.

CROWS CARRY OFF BALLS. EXPERIENCES OF LEGISLATORS. MR. W. M. HUGHES* EXPLETIVES. [from our. own correspondent.] SYDNEY, May 18. Crows at Canberra have developed the habit of sweeping down on golf balls, while matches are in progress, and carrying the balls off in triumph. In one day alone, extraordinary to relate, nine balls were carried away in this way by these "pirates." With a game against Senator Duncan well in hand on the Canberra golf course, Mr. W. M. Hughes, M.P., was dumbfounded when a crow pounced upon the ball, and flew across the river with it. "Caw! Caw! Caw!" chanted the chorus of crows in the neighbouring trees, as if they knew that their victim was "Billy" Hughes. It was some time before Mr. Hughes spoke. When he became articulate Canberra golfers were spellbound by the fluency of his vocabulary. Translated for publication, the ex-Prime Minister called upon all the powers to deal with that crow. There was a special direction that all the feathers be struck from its tail. Never, according to the testimony of the audience, has Mr. Hughes drawn to the same extent upon his store of expletives since the immortal "Go to blithering blazes" w r as coined. Mr. Paterson, Minister of Markets, was also a victim. Just as he was congratulating himself that bogey was in sight for the first hole, one of these birds flew down from a nearby tree and carried off his ball. Unlike Mr. Hughes, Mr. Paterson did not use golf language. He recalled that a dozen balls had been carried off by crows during the last few days, and. Mr. Paterson, whose parents are Scotch, just said: "I wish I could find that crow's nest." He wants to know, however, whether it was just a coincidence that the ball he was using was branded "Kroflite." Anyway, since crows have developed kleptomania, with a special partiality for the golf property of Cabinet Ministers and ex-Prime Ministers, these Worthy men say that they now invariably follow up their shots at the double. Perhaps it's just as well Canberra has no facilities for fishermen.