TASMAN SWUM ON EMPTY STOMACH.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 15, 4 September 1930, Page 11

TASMAN SWUM ON EMPTY STOMACH.

'• - Petone "Beach. I have just interviewed Granny Smith, who, as everybody knows, has just swum the Tasman in twenty-four hours, thereby beating the Maunganui by several days, hours ana minjites. Here is the story as told to me, in her own words as shivering, she stood on the beach at Petone after her amazing record-break-ing swim. ."'■■ "The idea of swimming the Tasman came to me in bed, last Wednesday, and I felt I must do it if only to prove that women can have children and a career. As I have shown, ifc is possible to swim from Aussie and N.Z. in one dafc, which is sure to revolutionise trade. In fact, ships and Zeppelins are already obsolete except for heavy freight traffic.

"May not swimming also knit the Empire closer together ?. I am going to make the Gook .Strait to Croydon attempt next. "

"I have had.'a-iovely journey, passing the Niagara six hours out from Sydney, and the Maunganui in mid-ocean, where my pilot boat was lost in a storm. This „.. made things awkward, as I nearly lost my way; but whenever I saw a liner, I would overtake it and inquire the way to Petone. The captains and crews were splendid. . . v . '

• "I trained on winkles and motor oil, doing 1,000 miles to. the gallon of each. I am eighty-seven next birthday, and the first woman to swim entirely across the Tasman on an empty stomach. • "Is this a record'?"