Better Than the Kinema!

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1922, Page 1

Better Than the Kinema!

During the past few days 1 have been an onlooker at as thrilling a spectacle as any ever enacted on the kinema screen. J have watched a steepejack at work within sight of my desk on a 160 ft, chimney, and, .watching, I have held iny breath at the cool daring with which this aristocrat of artisans makes .apparently impossible feats look simple of execution. When the steeplejack arrived on the site and took stock, so to speak, I marvelled at the simple, yet wonderful manner in which he proeeeded to build .up, section by section, the scaling, ladder and fix it to the chimney side. Each section was carefully placed in positjiqn, fastened, and tested while lie hung on to the lower section, already in place, -by intertwining bis legs with the rungs of the ladder. Faith and confidence in bis own work were written on bis every action. When the ladder evcntallv reached the top I beheld this human fly calmly ! clninliering up on to tlie rim of the chimney, inspecting the loose brickwork there and sitting astride. As if in protest, the chimney belched forth a sudden volume of black smoke, but- , the steeplejack .was to windward. | He then made fits'way round the chimney top, and, his observations com-

ploted, reached out over the rim and j found his foothold in the most natural looking manner upon the ladder which he had but recently erected. With a perfectly balanced swing he descended easily to the ground. There followed a 'further aseeut of the ladder, but this time he was armed with a rope, to the end of which were ■attached a block and pulley. With , these he went steadily up to the top, fastened .the block and .pulley there and came once more to earth Now he is up again, and, at the top, • appears to he doing his host to take a sudden drop to earth. In reality he is reaching out, holding himself in position with his legs, in order to fix securely the little swinging sent upon ! which he will hover ’twixt Heaven and earfh, suspended from the rim of a chimney which is in use all the time. Followed the .most amazing examplof coolness and self-possession T have ever seen. Releasing his hold on the • rim of the chimney. ,he leant over the edge of the rim, took hold of the suspended rope, and slithered down it - like a fireman at fire drill until he reached the open, unprotected seat, info which ho fitted himself with no apparent, trouble. And oil Ibis 160 ft up in tlie air! j Having satisfied bim=olf that the fastenings were secure, it was simply j a matter of seconds for him to lower himself tq the ground, paving nut, as ! he descended, the rope which was run--1 ning gaily through the pulley nt the . top. . To anyone in search of a tiott osrperi- : once or a fresh excitement T would roj commend an apprenticeship to a ; steeplejack!