ROUND THE WORLD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 6 May 1924, Page 5

ROUND THE WORLD.

GLOBE TROTTER IN HAWERA.

Another traveller pledged to walk round the world under stipulated conditions arrived in Hawera yesterday from Patea. He is Maurice Vancam, who claims to be the "king of globe trotters," and i s nearing the completion of'«his long and arduous journey in New Zealand, the last country which he has to traverse. In the course of his wanderings, commenced in 1911, Mr. Vancam has had many exciting and unenviable experiences. In 1912 he was in Greece during the Balkan War. He also saw Mexico during the revolution of 1913. At the outbreak .of .the great European War he wa s in German East Africa, and visited a, great part of China in the 1917 rebellion. He was also locked up on 17 occasions during Bolshevik rule in Siberia. He has had both enteric and malaria fever, and was shipwrecked off the coast of Chili. Maurice Vancam,, according to his own story, started off from Vancouver, 8.C., Canada, in November, 1911. to walk round the world for a wager of £7000. The conditions were to start without clothes or money, in a suit made of newspaper, and not to work, beg, borrow or steal, or accept donations. All expenses must !be obtained through the sale of souvenir cards at whatever price offered to him. The '"'king of tramps" walked across the Dominion of Canada and shipped <ev«r to England and through Europe; he then recrosssd the pond to N«w Y;ork, ;»nd walked across the States, ■went to Mexico and through Central America. After he did North America 'he proceeded to do South America., vwiiere he was nearly done to death with smalaiiia. The pedestrian shipped fmm CShiH to Afriica, and walked thousands of miles through the Dark Continent, leaving footprints and old boots in M« wake. tFrom Africa he went to Asia, a«d (then out Australia and over to New "Zealand. Notwithstanding the numerous setbacks which Mr. Vancam has liad, he expects to complete his travels and return "home about September of this year, to collect his prize.

Up to date this "tourist has walked over 56,000 miles, and worn out 112 pairs of boots. He -carries 109 books of seajs and signatures of places he has visited, ami these ra themselves are a revelation in handwritings and endorsements.

Mr. Vitiicam is writing a seres of articles on the co^mtnes wliih he visits, dealing especially with the industrial and economic situat'on therein, and he purposes -ultimately bringftig out a book upon the subject.

Hr. Van cam will appear at the Grand Theatre to-night and to-morrow evening. \t'hen he will give short addresses on his experiences.