BACK AGAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 78, 29 September 1938, Page 11

BACK AGAIN

"MODERN GRANDMOTHER"

LAND'S END TO JOHN O'

GROAT'S

If Mrs. Kitty O'Sullivan had her way people within New Zealand who criticise this country and are dissatisfied with conditions' here would be sent abroad, because, in her opinion, there is nothing like a trip abroad to drive home a realisation that conditions in New Zealand and the Country itself take a lot of beating. She is very glad to be back, even though she was "in the news" in Britain as a result of her walk from Land's End to John o' Groat's. Mrs. O'Sullivan has won a reputation as a long distance walker. She has been referred to as "the walking grandmother," but this description, in an interview on her return by the Remuera today, she politely corrected. "New Zealand's modern grandmother," she said, was correct.

Mrs. O'Sullivan accomplished the journey from Land's End to John o' Groat's in 34 days, which was some eight days longer than she thought the walk would take. However, the: going was rough, how rough she described vividly in the interview. It was a shock to her to find when she set out that there was nothing but tarred macadam to walk on with a not-very-good surface in some parts. In some places, she said, it was almost like walking on broken bottles, but she kept on, even though the conditions took heavy toll of her. When she was nearing the»end of her long journey, said Mrs. O'Sullivan, it poured with rain. Her pockets were full of water and the cold was intense, but the people along the route were kindness itself, although the questions asked by one or two were almost too much for her. One woman asked if she was going to walk,back. Mrs. O'Sullivan said she nearly collapsed. Another asked, "Don't you ever get tired?" Mrs. O'Sullivan said she had a wonderful log-book, containing, among other things, the Lord Mayor of London's stamp and that of the Lord Provost of Glasgow. Throughout she wore a New Zealand badge, and it acted as an "open Sesame." She met many people with relatives in New Zealand and to many she had often been riiadeito feel a living linkr between them and those dear to them in this country. PARTED WITH HER BOOTS. Mrs. O'Sullivan said she had given broadcasts over the 8.8.C. system, and in Glasgow and in Sydney. When the | British leather people heard her broad- ] cast in London they rang up the 8.8.C..; with an offer of £50 for her big boots, i which, she added, she ultimately part-1 ed with and received the £50. The boots had wallaby uppers and were j soled with New Zealand greenhide, j and in spite of the fact that she had walked 881 miles in them, they were still in good order. Mrs. O'Sullivan announced that she was finished with long-distance walking. She said that now that she was back in the Dominion she wanted first to tell the people how well New Zealand, is advertised in the Old Country and of the high reputation this Dominion enjoys. After that, her desire was to take up flying. She said she had had that ambition for a long time, and added that so keen was she that when on her walk from Land's End she had passed flying schools she had often found the temptation to join in almost too great.

If war should break out Mrs. O'Sullivan made it plain that she should want to have a part in it. It would not matter if it was nursing, running messages, or carrying dispatches on foot.

In the meantime she is glad to be back, in New Zealand, where, she declared, people ■do not know how well off they are.