A NOTED AXEMAN

Chronicle (Levin), 19 March 1947, Page 2

A NOTED AXEMAN

DEATH OF MK. D. PBETTY. In llio death on Friday of Mr. David t Pretl v, uged 70, of Whiteman's Vallcv, ! Upper Hutt, New Zealand lost one of j if.s most noted alliletes. A world re- ! cord-holder, and a New Zealand cliam- h pion on binumerable occasion, s, Mr. Prctty was p obablv the greatost axe- j man this coun'ry has produced. He fir.-v hit New Zealand sporting headlines in U'Oti, when, with liis two brothers, he '-xvipt everylhing before him -at i uaMonal meeting at Eltham, it was soer. llieri that he had potential I greatnesq atth-'iigh it was not until four1 years later that le really became oue: ' r the "grcats" o' New Zealand sport. The occasion was again a meeting at 1 Eltham. At this time Mr. Prettv was in his prime, and in the two feet log event he established a world record, ; wliich to this day has not been surpasscd. He got through a heftv twofooter in the amazing time of 3min 34 \ l-5sec. i." Up to the time of his death Mr. Prctty took an active interest in com- ; petitive chopping. Throughout the war he gave exhibitions — despite his age — for patriotic purposes. He was also the i star performer at numerous sports meetings in recent years in aid of funds for the Red Cross. He won in all 7(5 chopping titles. T'n 1922 an Arnerican axe clianipion named Marchant, caine to New Zealand for tho express purpose of matching Idows with Mr. Prettv. They met at Cambridge in the "iSin log competition, Mr. Prctty : left the Arnerican well behind, and es- : tablished the record time of lmin-7sec : for this event. Mr. Prettv 's sporting interest-s were not confined to chopping. When a young man, he was undefealed as an auiateur boxer both in Taranaki and Cambridge. He could also ruu well, and was a splen did jumper. In t'act at one meeting at, Cambridge, besidcs cleaning up the chopping events, he won the high jump and the 100 yards sprint. In recent years, Mr. Pretty was farming in Whiteman's ValTey, Upper Hutt. He leaves a widow, two daugliters, Marjorie and Elsie, a son, Robert, ' and oue granddaughter.