Christchurch Pensioner Rides Power-cycle On 1000-Mile Trip

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27678, 7 June 1955, Page 10

Christchurch Pensioner Rides Power-cycle On 1000-Mile Trip

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 6. Having ridden a power-cycle from the northern tip of New Zealand, 71-year-old Mr Alfred Brown came battling into Wellington last evening against the southerly gale.

“It was some trip—about 1000 miles and bad weather nearly all the way,” he said today. '‘They advised me not to try it and predicted the cycle wouldn’t make it. But both of us are here all right." A Christchurch old-age pensioner formerly an electrical engineer and now an amateur inventor, Mr Brown was more pleased' with the cycle’s performance than with his own He put the cycle together himself, using a .9 h.p. Italian motor and an English bicycle frame, adding his own power generating plant. Mr Brown said it did a wonderful job carrying his Bst and his Ucwt. of baggage, averaging 40 miles to a pint of petrol Mr Brown brought the cycle from Christchurch on April 28, and then

took a train to Kaikohe, North Auckland. But this was not far enough north for him, so he cycled to Cape . On May 11 he started south, averaging not much more than 12 miles an hour, and visiting tourist spots on the way.

He stayed mainly in hotels at night, because it was too wet to use his tent. Twice. how*ever. he had to make the P° lice station, and once, at Paeroa, when the police sergeant would not accommodate him, he slept in the local church hall. The journey cost him £2O. Today he was waiting until the Post Office opened so that he could cash his next pension payment and return to Christchurch.