Walking 80 Miles To Give His Horse A Rest

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29724, 18 January 1962, Page 14

Walking 80 Miles To Give His Horse A Rest

(New Zealand Press Association)

GISBORNE, January 17.

The man who is riding a horse down the East Coast to Hastings for a wager, has decided to walk the 80 odd miles or so from Ruatoria to Gisborne, leading h>s horse. Twenty-seven-year-old MKevin Esdaie, of Onehunga, told Constable G. Brown, of Ruatoria, yesterday, that his horse needed a rest, so he decided to walk.

Mr Esdaie left Papakura on December 20 on the 672 mile trip. If he completes the trip he will receive a wager of £l5O and expenses of £lOO.

He must not change horses On the journey and he has to collect signatures and addresses to verify his route. When Constable Brown spoke to Mr Esdaie yesterday afternoon he was at Hiruha rama, about six miles south of Ruatoria. He said that he hoped to reach Gisborne some time during the week-end. Mr Esdaie is covering about 20 miles a day. He spent two days at Paeroa, two days at Waihi and five days at Whakatane.

"The hospitality that I receive from all the people 1 meet, especially the Maoris, is wonderful,’’ he said.

When he reaches Hastings Mr Esdaie hopes to get a job fruit picking before he returns to Onehunga.