Chips & Sawdust.

Southern Cross, Volume 10, Issue 26, 27 September 1902, Page 3

Chips & Sawdust.

(By “ Rata.")

The committee of the Axemen’s Carnival held another meeting on Saturday night, when some additional accounts totalling £6 4s 6d were passed. * * * At the same meeting Mr T, O’Byrne was the recipient of a wellearned vote of thanks for his efforts in connection with the carrying out of the carnival. * * * During Mr Paape’s absence in Australia his duties will be discharged by Mr Riddell. The employes of Spar Bush Sawmill intend holding a ball next month, B. Spencer is busy making arrangements, and getting **>ut the necessary black pine chip invitations. *** Public life is beginning to have attractions for some of our local sawmillsrs. Mr D. McKenzie, of Lady Barkley, is out against Mr J. Hamilton for the Winton Riding of the Southland County. * * # In the Wallace County, Mr Dugald Macpherson, a member of the firm which has done so much to develop the timber industry in the Western District, is a candidate for one of the Otantau seats, and bids fair to poll well. * A number of the ratepayers desirous of Mr Macpherson’s return recently met at Otautau and formed a number of general and sub-com-mittees to secure his return. Representatives from Drummond, Limestone Plains, Waicola and Aparima were present, and announced their intention to do their best to secure Mr Macpherson’s return, * * * It is with sincere regret that I Ihave to report the death of Mr Robert A. Ward of Otautau He took suddenly ill a few weeks ago and was removed to the Riverton hospital, where he passed away soon after. All the members of the Union will join me in sympathy for his many friends. * * * Mr E. O’Neil, who met with' a rather nasty accident at GHenburn a week or so ago, has resumed work. * * The piper at Grlenburn is having a great time of it. Ned O’Neil and Pat Roche (from ‘ Siberia ’) are after him every night with an axe and pinch bar. r * * * W, Boyd has taken Jim Griffin’s place and the tail of the breast bench. r * * '* P. Roche from Kapuka has taken on the slabs at Glenburn, and to see him climbing the slab heap in his new dungarees and ‘bo yangs ’ is enough to kill any plague. ***' Jim Mclntosh of Otautau is dead on ping pong. He does a little in the poultry line too. Bob Campbell of Kapuka has not a hope with him at ping pong, and the price of ducks has gone up, # # * Bob O’Connor has left Asher s, and is now working in his old place in the bush at the Gorge. # * George Gordon, the well-known chopper, has left Bush Siding. I hear he has gone home to the farm, where he will be in active training for all coming events. Chopping men will find him a snag to run against, providing he can get a strong axe-handle. He is too powerful for any ordinary handle —he wrenches so hard. * * * Watty Hodges has returned from the West Coast, and is now working at Bush Siding tailing out. # * * Harry Crosswell, who left here a few months ago, is helping to lay a tram on the West Coast.

Our old friend, Jack Harper, is still on the Weft Coast. He is doing well, and will, 1 believe, be over at Xmas for a trip. * * * The Mabel boys have formed a cricket club all on their own. They have elected a strong committee, and intend settling down to work, so as to be in fine form for Lord Hawke’s team when it arrives. # * * One of our boys had a great run the other evening. He was passing through a farmer’s paddock and the bull wanted to make his acquaintance, but our hero was not in the humour, so a real ding-dong go followed. The post and rail fence was reached with two feet to spare, and the boys consider they have a champion harrier here. * * * ; H. Jackson, of Berringa, Victoria, one of the speediest axemen in underhand chopping in the Commonwealth, has written to the manager of the Australasian Axemen’s Association, stating that he intends com petit g at the next carnival. Last year Jackson challenged the world fora cut through 18in logs. He chopped in great form at Hobart on the occasion of the Duke of York’s visit to the capital. * * * It may not be generally known (remarks the correspondent of a Tasmanian paper) but it is t fact, neverthe less, that Upper Oastra folks possess as residents not only the exchampion axeman and now champion potato grower, J. M. Marshall, but the champion boy chopper of the world. The latter, whose name is George Beckett, is 17 years of age, sft llin in height, and scales over 12 stone. If young Beckett takes care of himself, he should some day emulate the feats of Marshall, and be hailed world’s champion axeman.