TRIBUTE TO COCKY
(By Contributed)

There was genuine regret amongst Griffith residents at the recent death of a well known and loved personality "Cocky" whom for the last 37 years has been domiciled at the Hotel Victoria.
"Cocky" as the best-known parrot in N.S.W. and commercial travellers spread his fame in every N.S.W. centre.
His passing will be a big blow to the hundreds of children who spoke to him daily on their way to school and fed him tit bits through the bars of his cage.
'Parrot Pub'
"Cocky" was so well known that a letter addressed to an individual care of the hotel where the green parrot lives somewhere in the Riverina was delivered to Hotel Victoria.
For close to fifteen years now I have been listening to Cocky calling "Hello Allan", "Hello Love" and utter numerous other sayings.
He had the cutest "wolf whistle" you ever heard and many a young lady received the whistle of approval from Cocky.
Mr. Bun Davis first brought Cocky to the Victoria when the Hotel was first opened in 1925.
'In Hot Water'
Griffith Aussie Rules coach Geoff "Sugar" Willis used to spend hours with the bird teaching him to talk and the late Fr. O'Dea always had a word for Cocky when on his rounds.
On one occasion, Cocky got Billy Barry into hot water when he said "Hello Love" to two charming young ladies who were walking past.
They whirled around and gave Bill a real lambasting about making remarks to strange girls.
It won't seem the same without Cocky.

(Advocate - Monday July 29, 1963).