PEDESTRIANISM.

Otago Witness, Issue 1242, 18 September 1875, Page 17

PEDESTRIANISM.

At the Headquarters Drill Shed, on Saturday, Wiltshire finistipd his selfimposed task of walking 150 miles in 86 hoars, with about 45 minutes to spare. There was little or no betting on the event.

Pedestrianism ia now the ragein Dunedin, and some novel feats are being accomplished. The latest is that of two bricklayers' labourers named Robert Bird and George Bedford, the latter being a Good Templar, and a match was arranged between them to walk a distance of 20 miles, caoh carrj'ing a hod of twelve bricks, making a dead weight of nearly 9llb. The former, a short, thickset man, walked the distanco wish the aid of stimulants, ia the Drill-shtd, in seven honrs five minutes. Bedford, whh is tall and mm cular, accomplished the distance, with a Jap to spare, in fifteen minutes Ip.*b than hia antagonist, fairly running round the course towards the finish. Hnth mouwere stripped in the v Ual form, the left shoulder, on which they carried the hod, being protected with wet cloths, and with their arms folded over the handle, walked in a crouching position. Bedford drank nothing but tea, so temperance advocates will rw doubt declare this as another triumph of Good Templarism ; though one present ventured to remark that he would have been much better for a glass of beer. The Shed was well patronised by bricklayers and hod-carriers, who evinced a lively interest in the match.