CHOPPING CONTEST AT THE FRONT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2885, 25 September 1916, Page 10

CHOPPING CONTEST AT THE FRONT

' 481 ; (From Mr. Malcolm Boss, War Correspondent with the New Zealand Forces.' The interest in the work in the Forest by members of the Pioneer Battalion, mostly Maoris, continues, and there has been another contest that has attracted a good deal oF attention locally. So far the Maori has been always the victor, but the. other day someone unearthed a young, "pakeha" from' the New Zealand Cyclists, who, it was said, would give the Maori champion "a good «o." ,dTho competition took place in a forest of 50,000 acres, sonic 30,000 acres of which we-are cutting out for purposes oF war. The cutting is done scientifically, the trees of the greatest value b.eing left, and all trees are cut off level with the ground. The .lirsfc event on this programme was tho championship chop, in which Pte.; fjnewry, said to be the world's CiTariipion, competed against Pte. Butler, Forest Control and three other Maoris. After a close and exciting contest, Pte. Shewry, the newcomer, was declared to be the winner, with Pte. Tamaki second. In tho underhand chopping competition, Lce.Corpl. Bannister was first, and Pte. Butler second, Shewry being beaten by both these Maoris. A cross-cut sawing competition was won by Ptes. Butler and Tamaki, a thick log being sawn through in the almost incredible time of twenty seconds, to the great astonishment of the English onlookers. One of the Maoris gavo an exhibition of the French style of tree-felling, and another Maori showed how the topmost branches are first cut oIE a big treo before it is felled. At the closo of tho competition Gen-, oral Godley presented prizes to the successful ■ competitors.