Tim Heta's Obituary.

 

Tim  was born 28/2/32 to 15/11/2006.

 

Ok here it is

 

To Tim Heta

He was the last of the old.

Of those who knew how to take down giants of Tane

How the platform of ponga, would prepare for axe of those who knew where to place the first blow

Two by two they would follow, to prepare scarf that would topple this giant among trees

And when it was done

The saw would follow

To bring about the end of an era

You placed yourself among our best

Northland sent to beat the rest

They have done us proud and so did you

To give us the best the world is yet to topple

Ngapuke axemen club lives on

Because of what you have done

To my father

Anei ano

Until then the axe will seek its mark

 Arena

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill Brownlie

Family man.Community man. Sportsman.

 

     Bill had a great ability to make friends easily in all facets of his life. His jovial manner was always to the forefront in all of his endeavours.

 

He was such a great family and young people’s person that sometimes it would be difficult for an outsider to see who was enjoying the games and leg-pulling the most. Bill’s sense of humour was definitely one of his qualities.

 

    He was a good rugby player for mid-Western Northland and Northland Maori’s Captain. He was a passionate duck shooter especially with family and friends, and a n encouragement to his son, Mark, to represent N.Z. Clay Target Team.

 

     In wood chopping, he represented Northland many times. His pride and joy was winning the Tokoroa $1000.00 event and the  12 placings in championship sawing events, six of these were with his wife Janice, which included 2 NZ records

 

    Something else he took great pride in was being a member of a very successful N.I. Axemen & Sawyers team. They won 3 tests against Australia in a Canberra Show in 1998.

 

    Bill enjoyed many successes with his brother Maurice in sawing, starting with a major win at Dinsdale. Throughout the years, he has figured prominently in all disciplines of the sport in Northland.

 

    Bill has also enjoyed “doing his bit” as he would say; starting,ring steward, administration and preparing of blocks. He was care-taker of equipment-U.H. cradles, sawing stands, etc.

 

   He will be remembered for his sportsmanship and was never one to enter into controversial discussions without first knowing all the facts.

 

   Looking back at his record, his name figures often in the results in Northland and the neighbouring areas.

 

   In all, Bill Brownlie will be missed in mid Western Northland and all area he competed in.

 

  His like do not come this way often. When you look back to the West, ther is a gap on the ridge.

 

      Another Totara has Fallen.  

                

 

 

 

 

Fred Harris

 

   Fred first started chopping at Kaeo in 1944; two years later he won his first event, a Maiden at Kaikohe. As a competitor he has had many notable successes over the years, including places in Northland championships with the axe and some New Zealand class performances with the saw. He once won a double handed sawing event at the Brisbane Show. He was also winner of the prestigious ‘Bill Shelford Memorial’.

 He has been the driving force in the establishment and revival of several clubs in Northland, leading the way with hard physical work, felling trees, preparing blocks, setting up ring enclosures and helping run the actual day. Often outspoken and a fanatic for ‘fair play’ made Fred a very good Axemens Representative. He has held every possible official position within a club, representing Northland as an Executive and Council.

 

Perhaps his greatest contribution was the willingness to teach and share his knowledge to those just starting in the sport, with coaching, sharpening and preparing axes to young competitors.

 

  Fred was honoured in 1987 with the Warner Services Certificate for services to woodchopping. Life Membership to Northland, the Alison Memorial trophy for services to Northland 1984.

 Fred will be remembered by many in Northland for his enthusiasm, directness, sense of fair play strong work ethic of ‘work first, play after’ and ‘if the jobs worth doing do it properly’.

 

 His renowned skill felling large native trees such as Kauri, Totara, Rimu, etc. for timber, made him sought after whenever a difficult or important job was to be carried out and this included measuring blocks of native timber for NZFS logging. Fred will be remembered as a very good Quarry Manager for Portland Cement for 26 years. His enjoyment of his regular ‘social’ after work discussions at some of Northland’s Taverns and Hotels.

 

  It would be fair to say Fred was will respected and Northland could be proud of the efforts he put into wood chopping , with his favourite wood chopping club being Midwestern.

 

  Fred passed away peacefully on 14 June 2008.     Ka Hinga Te Totara I Te Wao Nui A Tane

       

Photo of Fred and Bill