LONG, WEARY TRAMP

Southland Times, Issue 20199, 9 June 1927, Page 4

LONG, WEARY TRAMP

SEARCHING FOR WORK. OVER 300 MILES ON FOOT. Sydney, May 26. Few men have packed into the short space of 28 years such varied experiences as have come the way of John Linford, who, with his brother, Charles Linford, aged 23, and Jack Bowman, aged 22, reached Lithgow, New South Wales, recently, after a 700-mile journey from Broken Hill, in search of work. The party covered over 300 miles on foot. Jack Linford enlisted in 1914, when only 16 years of age, and served right through the war to the armistice. Then he joined the British Expeditionary Force to Russia. After his discharge he became a fireman, and visited the United States, South Africa, and other parts of the world, including New Zealand. From New Zealand he went to Broken Hill, and worked there until the scarcity of water caused a cessation of mining operations. The country traversed from Broken Hill was dry and dusty, and dying cattle were everywhere. Rabbits and an occasional kangaroo kept the trampers in meat, but water was scarce. At one stage they were without water for 48 hours. A few miles out from Wilcannot, bound for Cobar, they were picked up by a mail coach, and, considering that not a drop of water was seen on the 170-mile journey, they counted themselves particularly fortunate' Cobar was found to be a dead city, the population having dwindled to about 200. Between Dubbo and Yeoval was the worst stretch. All were footsore, and one of the party walked in his bare feet. The three men camped at Doonybrook, near Lithgow, at night, and on the following morning Charles Linford and Bowman found temporary work. Jack Linford is still on the unemployed list, but he is taking matters philosophically.