AUCKLANDER'S TRAMP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21468, 17 April 1933, Page 6

AUCKLANDER'S TRAMP

OVEE TWO THOUSAND MILES - THROUGH NEW ZEALAND MAN OF NEARLY SIXTY Walking through New Zealand, Mr. E. Stanmoro Day, an Aucklander, arrived in Christchurch last Wednesday afternoon. He has completed a journey of more than 2000 miles. Although he is nearly 60, Mr. Day appears as vigorous as a man of half his years. Mr. Day, who says he undertook the walk for health's sake, left Auckland for the South on February 9, after lie had already completed a walk of 310 miles, in the north of this province. He went down the west coast of the North Island through Taranaki, and then past Foxton and Levin to Wellington. In 15 days and a-half he covered 471 miles. Then he crossed to Blenheim and went to the West Coast after visiting Nelson. On his journey south he did not pass through Christchurch, but after being all over Otago and Southland, and in many parts of Canterbury, ho came to the end of his walk in Cathedral Square in Christchurch. Not Once Refused Shelter What has most impressed Mr. Day, he said in relating the story of his experiences, has been the kindness arid friendliness of almost everybody he has met on his long journey. Not one person has refused him shelter, a-though to many he has appeared at first s:ghl a mere swagger. When he stopped at any part of his journey he would knock, perhaps, at the door of a farm Louso and inform the farmer's wife that he was hiking through New Zealand. Invariably he would be asked at once to go in and to have some refreshments. Even at hotels Mr. Day often was taken in as the guest of the hotelkfsper. From several radio stations Mr. Day has spokeH of the benefits of hiking and the pleasure to be had from it. He has also lectured to schools and in theatres. When he was crossing Lindis Pass, ir Otago, Mr. Day met the GovernorGeneral and Lady Bledisloe, who wen' conversing with a party of miners there. When he had passed through Wellington earlier Mr. Day had been granted an interview with Lord Bledisloe, and now when he met him again in thii remote place His Excellency expressed great surprise and asked how Mr. Da} had come to be there so far south bo soon. Lady Bledisloe shook hands with him and congratulated him on his achievement. Unfortunate Experience After he left Lindis Pass Mr. Day went to the Southern Lakes, and there in fording a river he had the only really unfortunate experience of his trip. He had gone halfway across the river—the Greenstone and on the other side he could see a hut at which he could shelter for the night. But the water was 3ft. deep, and he suddenly became aware that the blankets he had been carrying were already washed away from him in the rapid current. Then his billies, his hat and his supply of food were all cari-ied away as he struggled across. When he eventually reached the other side he was without most of the small equipment he had been carrying and had to live for 36 hours on rice. # A small kit bag, and a rain coat, weighing only one pound, were all Mr. Day carried when he arrived in Christchurch. He was tired and footsore, as he had walked all the way from Dunedin, a distance of 240 miles, in 10 days. WOMAN'S GREAT WALK SPIRITS' BAY TO WELLINGTON Describing herself as " The Modern Grandmother," Mrs. Kitty O'Sullivan, aged 52, arrived in Wellington on foot from Pahautanui last Wednesday afternoon, and thus completed a walk through the North Island in 36 days. She is an advocate of physical culture, and she said that her weight had fallen from 12st. to 7st. 31b. in 14 months. Long-distance tramping is a new experience for her, and she savs she was sur- " y prised when she found she could cover 30 miles a day with ease. Starting her walk at Spirits' Bay at the northern extremity of the island, Mrs. O'Sullivan took 18 days on thef walk to Auckland, and the same time on the tramp to Wellington. Her record day was a 40-mile walk from Patea to Wanganui. "I am oil the road every day at 6 a.m., and people have been very hospitable," she said. " After a rest m Wellington I am going to vpalk through the South Island."