MANY TRIALS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19372, 9 July 1937, Page 13

MANY TRIALS

YOUNG AUCKLANDER JOURNEYS IN AUSTRALIA 11ARDSITIPS EXP RRIEN( JED Few New Zcalandcrs at the age of 23 have crowded into their lives a hazardous sea trip in a 32-foot auxiliary ketch across the Tasman Sea, and then led a nomadic life for 12 months or more in the wilds of Australia, but these were the experiences of Mr. Len Campbell, who returned to Auckland by the Maunganui, from Sydney this week. He was one of the four who manned the American ketch. Idle Hour on its 21-day voyage from Auckland to Sydney in February, 1!)3(>. The story of the voyage of the Idle Hour and its crew has been fully told bv Mr. Dwight Long, the young American university student who owned and navigated the ketch, and by Mr. Ivan Palmer, an Auckland journalist who was one of the crew. Mr. Camobell shared their experiences across the Tasman—the sleepless nights, the discomfort of working in sodden clothing that could not be dried, the anxiety of being buffeted by tremendous seas—after he left the boat at Sydney he met with experiences which, while perhaps not so breath-taking, left a deep impression on him.

Across Australia When he left Sydney, he said, he went to South Australia, where he hoped to obtain a job on one of the wheat sailing vessels which yearly engage in a race to London. He was disappointed to find all the ships had been fullv manned. Bv this time he had very little money left, and he resolved to see Australia by obtaining work on cattle stations, in bush camps and in various branches of the mining industry. Bv getting rides for part of the journey he made his way across various States, often with little food and less monev. He suffered the pangs of hunger, the biting cold of the BlueMountains in New South Wales, and the terrific heat of the Northern Territory. In the tropic regions he encountered snakes and nearly lost the use of a leg through being bitten by a poisonous spider. Work on Goltlfields

Mr. Campbell worked on the goldfields of Top Bingra, in New South Wales, for a short time, he said, but the life there "was pretty hard," and after several weeks of trying his luck he left for other parts. He did odd jobs at Cairns, Brisbane, and Townsville, and then made a train journey to Mount Isa, about 700 miles away. He found temporary work on sugar and banana plantations, went to the famous Charters Towers goldflelds, which saw many a gold rush in the early days, and worked for a while in the silver and lead mines. He says he remained at work only until the wanderlust became too strong an urge. The Aucklander estimates that he covered about 20,000 miles of Australian territory. He says he stole trips on trains across the more isolated parts of the interior, and was given motor car rides here and there between places where he sought employment that would give him sufficient money to keep him in iood, and allow him a small sum for emergencies He and an adventurous South Arican of his own age joined forces and they shared their resources and their experiences in many out-of-the-way places.