WHEELING MAN IN BARROW

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 May 1935, Page 8

WHEELING MAN IN BARROW

UP STEEP MOUNTAINSIDE.

SYDNEY, May 23. About the middle of next month, Mr. T. Parkinson, garage proprietor, of Beechworth, Victoria, will make an attempt to win £2O from Mr. S. Evans, a Beechworth publican, by wheeling Mr. Evans, who weighs 15 stone, 51 miles to Buffalo; including 18 miles up a steep mountainside, in a barrow. The Beechworth town band will speed them on their way by playing “Shuffle off to Buffalo.” The conditons of the wager require that Mr. Evans may alight from the wheelbarrow after Mr. Parkinson has rested 15 minutes. But the latter proposes to take rests of only 14 minutes, so that the passenger “may never get out till he’s cramped out.” Mr. Parkinson therefore hopes that it will not be necessary for him to stay the course. The wheeler, who is ,45 years of age and Oft lin in height, and weighs 14 stone, is already in training. He wheels two cubic yards of quartz, weighing IJcwt about his yard. “I don’t do hard work,” he explained. “I’m only a garage proprietor.” If Mr. Evans staves off cramp, Mr. Parkinson must persist in his effort to complete the journey in eight days, or forfeit. .£2O. The year’s shortest day will be a long day to him. “There’s big betting against me.” Mr. Parkinson said. ‘Mr. Evans ought to get more than a shade of odds. If I can’t cramp him out by keeping my rests under the quarter-hour, I’ll still work hard to win. I expect most of the time will be occupied in pushing i him up the mountain, over the last third of the distrpice. When we were riding over the route last month. I scoffed at Mr. Evans when he said that he would not like to walk up that grade. I said I could wheel him up it. Then the bet was made —£20 a side."’