And they are at it again

What is it with our trans-Tasman neighbours? Are they really envious of us kiwis? They claim so many things Kiwis say are ours.

The latest is the 2017 America’s Cup win.

The Aussie claim is based on Team NZ skipper, Glen Ashby, being an Aussie.

Then so was skipper of Oracle, Team NZ’s opponent.

But let’s not debunk our Aussie neighbours in sport.

Their Wallabies won the Rugby World Cup on two occasions.

 Aussie cyclist Cadel Evans won tour de France in 2011.

Kiwis have accused Aussies of claiming Phar Lap, Eye surgeon, Fred Hollows and the sickly-sweet pavlova.

And there is a question mark over a flat white.

The coffee was derived as a no-nonsense choice similar to but without the snobbery of the European latte or cappuccino. Ordering a flat white was okay for a bloke.

But was it a café in Sydney or Auckland that came up with the concept?

I recall the popular Aussie television drama Flying Doctors claiming Sir Edmund Hillary as an Aussie.

But what about other claims?

Phar Lap, the legend of Aussie horse racing during the 1930, was definitely from New Zealand, somewhere in Canterbury I recall.

But its owners clearly did not want the young stallion. They sold it to Aussie at a basement price. Phar Lap would have been a nonstarter had it not been for stable hand Tom Woodcock. It is said Phar Lap wouldn’t east if Tom was not close by. So Aussie, in my book, can rightly claim Phar Lap.

Fred Hollows, awarded several honours including Australian of the year in 1990, was a world-renowned eye surgeon who restored site in third-world countries. He was born in Dunedin but his rough and ready manner accompanying tremendous skills suited Australia. I doubt if he would have made it in New Zealand.  Many Kiwi medical gurus had little good to say about him until Australia began to pile honours on Fred.

So I am happy for Aussies to also claim Fred Hollows.

Sir Edmund Hillary’s origins and country commitments cannot be challenged. He was undoubtedly Kiwi.

Pavlova origins are less clear.

I suggest the pavlova is merely a meringue with a few yuck-filled additions. Or a meringue on steroids.

``Meringue’’ is apparently a word of unknown French origins.

But the Swiss claim the gnome-shaped teeth scraping sugary treat made with beaten egg whites and adding copious sugar.

I discovered this when cycling from Interlaken to the gruelling Brunig Pass.

We stopped for lunch in a small town, Merringen. Curiously, close to the café was a life size statue of a pensive Sherlock Holmes.

It was near here, at Reichenbach Falls, the fictional super sleuth had his final battle with the Napoleon of crime, John Moriarty. Holmes was left for dead at the bottom of the falls.

The town, Merrigen claims the similar sounding meringue. The confectionery was subsequently improved by an Italian chef named Gasparini, first appearing in cook books in 1692.

So, Aussies and Kiwis both miss out on that one.