AXEMEN MISS

NZ Truth, Issue 1141, 13 October 1927, Page 12

AXEMEN MISS

No Cash Forthcoming For .Winners During the visit to New Zealand of the Duke and Duchess of York, many of the most brilliant axemen of this country gathered m Wellington to take part m what was billed as a monster axemen's carnival. THE advertisements of this meeting promised great things to the public m the way ofr excitement, but an unappreciatiye populace refused to be parted from any chips of the genus lucre by the lure of flying chips and responded by stopping away. Hence the venture was a failure and the winners of the championships took their way home with nothing more substantial to, reward them than the promoters' very best wishes. The average axeman of this country is as good a sport as ft is possible to meet, but as a rule he is not well enough endowed , with wealth as to be able to follow his sport — and chopping is a very expensive sport — for the sheer love of the thing. Some fifty axemen journeyed to Wellington at no little expense and very high entry fees made the venture even more costly. Most of them, confident m their prowess with the axe, were buoyed up with the hope of making expenses — and more — out of the prize money. In point of fact, many actually won more than fifty pounds apiece, but m view of the failure. of the carnival they got nothing except the exercise. The carnival was run by one Edward Xenihan, journalist, of Wellington, under permit from the N.Z. Athletic and Cycling Union, which body is responsible for chopping m New Zealand. Lenihan has since filed liis petition m bankruptcy. His assets were estimated at £100' arid' his unsecured creditors . .£236. This last does not include the J prize money that is owing to the ■ unfortunate axemen, a matter of about £600, which is not legally recoverable under the provisions of the Gaming Act. "N.Z. Truth" is not questioning^ Jbenihan'a intentions. No doubt he had* every confidence m his ability to make the carnival a success. What this paper, on behalf of many of the axemen and the public generally wants to know is: What steps the N.Z. Athletic and Cycling Union took to investigate Lenihan's financial position When the permit to hold the meeting was issued? It is surely a remarkable position when a controlling sporting body delegates its powers to a private Individual, Who may or may not be able to pay out In the event of the gate takings being below expectations. If the executive of the N.Z.A.C.U. were aware of the position, then they had no shadow of right to allow it to take place. If they were not aware of the position, then they were culpably negligent of the interests of their members m allocating a permit. In justice to the competitors who are at present whistling for_ their 'money some public explanation is necessary, and an assurance is called for that a similar fiasco will not - be allowed to occur again. In the meantime, "Truth" would suggest to the axemen that then- sport is only likely to draw better audiences In towns adjacent to the sawmilling industry, and it would be better if it vrere under the control of men who are familiar with its peculiar requirements.