TELSTRA needed to hire a team of telephone pole installers for the Stuart Highway,

and McMurray and the boss had to choose between a team of two guys from Port Pirie and a team of two Irish guys.

So the boss met both teams and said "Here's what we'll do. Each team will be installing poles out on the new road for a day.

The team that installs the most poles gets the job."

Both teams headed right out. At end of the shift, Bud and Buddy, the two Port Pirie guys came back and the boss asked them how many they had installed.

They said that it was tough going, but they'd put in twelve. Forty-five minutes later, Paddy and Mick, the Irish guys came back in and they were totally exhausted.

The boss asked, "Well, how many poles did you guys install?"

Mick, the team leader, wiped his brow and sighed, "Paddy and me, we got three in.``

"The boss gasped, "Three? Those two Port Pirie guys put in twelve!"

"Yeah," said Mick, "but you should see how much they left sticking out of the ground!