A contest had been arranged between Australasians and Canadians in
France to decide which could fell trees in the quickest time. It began
really with the French forest authorities, who insisted on the
well-known forest rule that no young trees under one metre twenty in
girth must be felled after the middle of May, because if you cut the
young tree after the sap begins to rise it will not grow again. The
British officer in control of the forest had obtained an extension until
the end of May, but he had to get felled by then all the young timber
that he wanted before September. He had borrowed some Maoris to help,
and he noticed how they cut and the sort of sportsmen they were. He was
struck with an idea. A French forest officer was with him. "How long do
you think it would take a New Zealander to chop down a tree like that?"
asked the Frenchman. "A minute," was the answer. "Unbelievable,"
exclaimed the Frenchman. A Maori was called up, and the tree was down in
forty seconds.

After that a contest was arranged between Maoris and French
wood-cutters. Trees had to be cut in the French style, which, it must be
admitted, is much neater and more economical, and about five times as
laborious. The trees are cut off at ground level, and so straightly that
the stump would not trip you if it were in the middle of the road. Each
team consisted of six men, and felled twelve small trees, using its own
accustomed axes. The Maoris won by four minutes.

It was out of this that the big contest sprang. The Canadians and
Australasians challenged one another. This time the teams were to be of
three men. Each team was to cut three trees--only service axes to be
used; but otherwise each man could cut in any style he wished. The trees
averaged about two feet thick--hard wood. The teams started to practise.
And the forest officers' problem was solved.