Axe and Saw Notes

Southland Times, Issue 19499, 31 December 1904, Page 6 (Supplement)

Axe and Saw Notes

The principal fixture in axe and saw circles during the holidays was the Eltham. Carnival, • which' eventuated- oh x Bpxing D4yi.and.Jhe. day following, i-'ine weather 'aiid - li«.rge : fields* made the gaUihr- - ijQjd.in every iway ,a record one. The visit of tho Australian team of axemen also created great interest in tbe various contests, but aai I predicted in roy notes of December ;10, thejr«ud-not do anything out of the way, as the timber is very different from that of Australia, and - thero was not . sufficient from the date, of their arrival to get used to (it. The principal event from a monetary point of view was .tho Axemen's Uup in 18in. standing blocks, first- prize £50 eftd < Cup. This felL to a Southlander in the person of X> % Johnston^ 'who was. y on the <55sec. mark. He is a native 'of "Centre Bush, and came down to our. last Carnival for the purpose oi 'competing. He received 40sec. in the' lSin. --'standing blocks, aad 4=oseel in the £60 chop, 22in. logs, but -failed to. get a place in tha heats so was not a competitor nv the final. G-. A. Gioold, the champion sawyer,: kept up his reputation' by winning . the champion S.H. sawing, and getting second in the Visitors' Handicap. The world's champion axeman, G us. Blanc, won the principal- event -'from a' competor'a point of view, the Champion Chop, in 2«. standing blocks. The cash value ■was £12., and he also secures, the champion medal, value £5, which is yet another added to his already large, collection won in championship events. ■ Oon. Casey chopped into second plape, and thus put up a very meritorious performance against" so many skilled axemen. Several people have already been . enquiring* as to how it is that two New . Zealand champion chops take place in (the colony evary; year, and' why oach.'retains the title of champion. As was explained on this column some little time ago, the championship at Eltham is in standing blocks,, and v here it s in uuderhand or- lying down lOgs.; y (My prediction re Kelleher winning ihe .... : £9O chop» was not altogether fulfilled. 1 Waas confident that he would hot bo beatem by any of .those behind his mark, and this turned put right. A letter* written from the- Waikato hospital at Hamilton by Tom Helm, of Hedgehope, came v to hand during the week. He .was working with a gang of anen making a line on a rough aiding en the northern end of the main trunk railway. They had? felled a. lot of timber on the top side ahd were clearing it awpy. Helm cut through a small branc -which -was supporting a. large log lying concerted among the fallen timber, it immediately shot down the hill and pinioned his leg to a stump, breaking . the leg at the ankle. This was vary unfortunate for Helm as .he was inv training, for some chopping events during tlie holidays, , He expects to be about again in February. '.. -"' - ■■■'''.■<- '.- ' Notwithstanding the quietness in .'Lho timber trade during the current year "the Bawn^ill Workers* Union Has increaseu well, and the halancersheet, to be submitted this afternoon will show a 'substantial improvements : on" .that of last year, ..'.,. At the Winton Sports on Boxing Day there was a "good- muster of axemen. inthe Maiden Chop/ nine started,, and ' the event; was won by Blackham. Whitolaw, .(Makarewa) second;, with : I>\ Waldron: . (Majkarewd) third. >,'■ -The Double-hand Sawing: brought out six pairs, Kilkeliy 'Bros. (2sec) being first, Walker and Knight ; (ssec) second, and Chisholm .Bros, (acr), third. Jack Walker ''won the chop from the 25sec. mark rather easily. Jv i&fcCann (ser) being second, and W. Blackman (TOsec) third. The Clifton Sports were as usual largely attended, and the events wero all well contested. :V The. chopping and sawing events brought out large fields. The handicap sawing, .of '£s 10s was the first to go"/ and, Meers ; 'and Hogan were placed first, Collinson and. George" second, and Hogan and Bllkelly third. The first pair saw yery well together, rand r would not be at all surprised to see thetn gfive the champions a run for their prestige later.. ■'". j D. M. O'Connor won the handicap chop in fine style with a lot to sparo. He is an exceptionally good man, and with a system of training would soon be in the first rank. He; deserved "his win for .he has a great many . performances with a minimum number of wins to his credit. Gower K -the limit man (40sec) in the standing 'lSin. logs, made no race of that event. He is a Tasmanian, but has been in the colony for. some' two years.: -He chopped well and put. up a, /very fair -'time. , ■Ay a-, }A- -y-y -..-:■ ■'.. „-. At Waianiwa. Tomlinson and McOann won the sawing with Waldron Bros: :8&y cond, and O'Connor and Coote third. There was little to spare and there was a diversity of opinions as to who were the placed men. The judges, however, soon settled the point. Ralph Waldron won the chop, with AT. McCann second, and W- Blocfe-mnn thlind. There are some fine colts coming on to take, the place of those who are 'getting up in. years and are quitting the arena. The principal ones are : W. Blackfman; Waldron - 8r05.,; > of Makarewa, R. Campbell, (1- Hewlitt,', Bert Pegg, Tomlinson, ahd T). George. There should be an exceptionally large number of entries for the next carnival. A large number of entries for chopping v and- sawing „events in connection . , with the local Caledonian Sports have ' been received, and two splendid contests are sure to eventuate. A good contingent 01. bushmen-.- have entered, for the Otaigo e'vehts oh the ""•following'' day," and "the first express will be of great convenience to competitors. In former yean? they were compelled to go to Clinton on the»evening. of the Ist, and leaye by the anorning train oh the day of the spoi ts. ' Altogether tho journey occupied 3 0 hours, and then the chance of getting sleeping accommodation at Clinton was, very meagre. Now the trip can be done Jn just half the time, and competitors are sure of a good night's rest.