VICAR BESIECED

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12528, 13 April 1935, Page 9

VICAR BESIECED

-FQUEL TO GENEROUS OFFER. “NEW ROOTS FOR TRAMPS.'" England's tramps, their clothes dirty and! dilapidated by age and exposure, their boots w.orn out with constant, wamd’erinpis from * “spike” to “spike” were lately conversing with 7 one accord' on the small; Sussex town of Midhurst. it was the vicar of AfidhuiSt, the Rev, F. Tiitc-helJ, who started this pilgrimage about a fo-rtnight before Christmas. It was done quite unobtrusively—just a small notice in a window of his vicarage—but- it caused a passing tramp to stop and stare and then to dive for the front doot at. a speed he had not attained! for twenty years. “Tramps whose hoots are done for can obtain a new pair here.” So read the notice, and the vicar was as good as his word. Elated, mystified and newly shod. the tramp went away, and. before long there were mysterious (whisperings in tho haunts of lus kind, and even more mysterious marks chalked U p about the roads. ’Hhe results were, soon apparent. “Lately we have been almost in a state of siege,” Air Tatehell’s secretary stated recently. ‘The scheme was originally intended' only for tho genuine ‘tramp.’ but we have been getting all sorts and conditions of men applying. As a consequence we have been forced to send them to the Ipolice station to have their claims inquired into beijore wo .Supplied' them with! the new hoots and' the two pairs of socks- that go with them ” So great were the number of applicants that a. constable had to he detailed 1 off to deal with them and later on applications wore limited to those arriving before' 10.30! in ’ the morning. “You see, the chief, constable became a (little alarmed,” the secretary said!, “and also the scheme was getting entirely out of control. As it is, we have had men who .have come all the way from Liverpool, and also people from as far away as AVitnborjnc and Winchester.. 1 Even now we are averaging about 15 inquiries a morning.” Once, amdi only \pnce„ • .‘was there any attempt n -t fraud, when a man who bad already received boots upplied for another*'pair. ITc wn.s quickly discovered. Tt was decided to close the offer after it had been open for six weeks: And s 0 with an added urgency, toward the end of last month, the tramps of England were shuffling or striding toward the vicarage of Midlmrst and the revief of weary feet.