CYCLING ROUND THE ISLAND.

Shannon News, 23 October 1928, Page 2

CYCLING ROUND THE ISLAND.

ONE-LEGGED DIGGER'S ENTERPRISE. .""'■;. Having put behind him 520 miles vof his 1500-mile journey round the North Island, the one-legged Digger cyclist, Rihari Hoke, who claims descent from the falnous Ngapuhi chief, Hone 'Heke. arrived in Levin at 6 o'clock on Friday. He had left Palmerston N. at 1 p.m., travelling via Shannon, where he arrived at 4 o'clock and .stayed a little while for refreshments. A head-wind was experienced ail the way from Palmerston to Levin. Heke was, a member of Carmiehael's Riflemen Battalion of the A.1.F., and had his right leg smashed below the knee at the battle of Passehendaele. He is equipped with a modern artificial limb, which he uses with great nimbleness. Clad in khaki shirt and shorts andi-seout-like hat, he has a noticeable figure about the town this morning, when he was selling -souvenir postcards, upon which his sustenance solely depends. Heke is, riding round the Island for a wager, '"■having left Auck : land on September 22nd under the condition that he should complete a circuit of the Island by,.November 29th. He s reached Hamilton on September 25, and was met by a gathering of return; ed soldiers. He proceeded via Te Awamutu, Otorohanga, Te Kuiti and. Urenui to New Plymouth, where he arrived on October sth. ■ The roads, generally speaking, were .goqd, but an exception was found'between To Kuiti and Awakino. From New Plymouth to Palmerston the going was first-rate. At all stopping-places Heke presents his credentials, to the Mayors or Town Clerks, who sign them as evidence of the completion of the contract en route. All that he carries with him in the way of equipment is a spare leg, strapped to the carrier, and a tyre repair outfit. The journey so far has been accomplished without puncture or accident.