FAMOUS TOADMASTER ILL

News   has  come through   that  the   person   known as   the   Toadmaster  of Magnetic  Island,  Vern  Jack , has  had  part of  a leg amputated  due  to  gangrene .   A  former primary  school principal, Vern has  run  regular  cane  toad  races  at  the  Arcadia  Hotel for  27 years , raising  many  thousands for  worthwhile causes .   The   cane  toad  races  resulted in  overseas  media  coverage . A keen  golfer, he often  pointed  out  that  Greg  Norman  lived on  the island  when he  was a boy.  Vern  also collected  first day  postal  covers, one of which was an autographed envelope for the  Darwin to  Singapore beercan boat trip made by  former Brisbane Lord Mayor , the  ALP politician Clem Jones, and Darwin businessman ,L. Frankenfeld .  Another of  Vern's ventures  his  been  a   popular  weekly  open  air  fruit  and   vegetable  market .