MILLION MILES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 272, 16 November 1936, Page 5

MILLION MILES.

NEWSPAPER RUNNER

"SCOTTY" AND HIS "STARS."

WAIKATO TRAIN SERVICE.

"Yes, I have travelled over a million miles," said Mr. W. H. Maitheison or "Scotty" Matheison, as he is best known, the "Auckland Star" newspaper runner on the Waikato train. "And, God willing" lie added, "I'm ready for another niillon, although I am 74 years of age. They didn't give me three months when I started."

Mr. Matheison, an old sailor with a deep-water ticket, came to Auckland in the Lady Jocelyn in August, 1889, and among his many experiences afloat was that of being adrift in an open boat for 1100 miles in the Pacific. He was second in command of the steamer Linlithgow when she sank over 1000 miles from land. One boat landed in Mexico and "Scotty" took his boat safely to South America. During his many years of train running, he has also liacl various experiences. He once fell off the train at Wiri and eight carriages passed over him. To the amazement and delight of the raihvaymen who witnessed the accident he got up quietly and went on selling "Stars." The guard old Herb Cameron, could hardly carry on so upset was he.

The railway authorities issue to "Scotty" annually a "van" pass a privilege eagerly sought after and as equally guarded. He is trusted by the railway people and oftens acts as an assistant to the guard. He has seen strikes and during those periods he carried on, travelling in the "Star" car. During the coal cut railway timetable he still went on daily, coming into Auckland and returning at night to Mercer—where the train stopped overnight—then travelling by boat up the river to Huntly and on by car home, arriving there about one a.m. ,

During that time he recalls one funny experience. The car hacl got stuck in the mud and out got "Scotty" to pueli behind. The driver did not seem to be making much headway so he called out, "Why don't you push Scotty?" A voice away in the rear called, "How the de'il can I, I'm stuck myself." Some 20 yards behind the car "Scotty" was stuck and had to be pulled out of the mud.

He has travelled about 1,081,000 miles on the train and sold something like 2,500,000 "Stare" in 21 years. He says the good roads and motors have made a big difference to his sales. At Huntly in the old days, when the Rangiriris were impassible, a great crowd gathered on the dimly-lit station awaiting the arrival of the "Star" train.- The "Stare" were placed on the floor of the van and the crowd surging round, throwing their pennies and picking up their newspapers—ls dozen used to be sold there every night in that way.

"Guards may come and guards may go, but I am going on forever" is a refrain that "Scotty" sings as he smiles and recalls the various guards and their funny ways, bufc they all love him. He celebrates his birthday once a year and then everybody looks after him. At the end of 21 years' running and at the a«-e of 74 years, he is still hale and hearty He finds some of the days rather long but will not hear of taking a rest.