SMOKING CONTEST.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXIII, Issue 9039, 31 December 1907, Page 6

SMOKING CONTEST.

WINDER HOLDS OUT FOR TWO HOURS. The previous best pipe-smoking record was absolutely outclassed on October 20th at the Agricultural Hall. The winner smoked, a pipeful of tobacco for over two hours. The last ten minutes saw a contest between a clay pipe and a briar, and was watched with tense excitement. At last the clay gave up—one hundred and fifteen minutes after the start. The briar immediately shot forth clouds of smoke, aud kept going fer more than five minutes after the owner was declared winner, and the proceedings were closed. As he finally left the hall, there was still a faint blue smoke drifting from bis pipe. Thomas Wood is the name of the bolder of the world’s smoking record, aud he comes from Peckhain One hundred and eleven minutes was the previous best. At a quarter past 7 150 men sat down at little tables, five aside with a box of matches and a little packet of tobacco beforee each. All the packets were weighed scrupulously to an eaxet eighth of an ounce. Round the enclosure were most of the four thousand who had sent in their entries too late and were there to cheer aud jeer at the lucky competitors. At the words “Fill pines,” every man set to work. A minute is no time at all to fill a pipe artistically. Ait the words “‘Light up,” one hundred ami fifty matches flamed out, and for forty secouds there was a stern sucking to fire the tobacco “Lights out,” and the devoted hundred aud fifty settled down to a steady smoke. There was not a smile. They sat solemnly and impassively, and scarcely spoke a word. Some brought papers to keep their thoughts oil' the terrific feat of endurance they were performing. The prize was to him who kept the pipeful alight the longest. No relighting was admitted. Three men fell out during the first two minutes overcome by tbo excitement. Shortly followed a deaf aud dumb competitor and a blind man. Then there vras a steady line about one a minute drifting away from the tables. hi any competitors backed their ingenuity against steady smoking. One smoked his pipe upside down, and thereby found an honourable place.in the last ton. Another had a special cherrywood stem over a toot long, but he scarcely lasted one hour. A pocketknife was backed by some, and they spent most of the time peering imo the bowl and scraping the spark round the tobacco with the point. The winner used nothing but. a lead pencil. With this he delicately pressed down the tobacco at intervals. He bad no special means of. packing his