HOLIDAY GROUNDS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1899, 6 November 1913, Page 5

HOLIDAY GROUNDS.

LITTLE-FREQUENTED BEAUTY SPOTS. SUGGESTIONS FOR CHRISTMAS. ("Br Dr. A. K. Newman.] For years past I liavo been astonished how very littlo interest- tlio people of this City take in the many most interesting 'holiday play-grounds and siglits of their own. provincial district. In shoals they go to the Rotorua and the Hot Lake districts; in troups they go to the Cold Lakes and Mt. Cook; few indeed visit our back country. The beauties of the Wanganui district do indeed attract many, but tho rest are almost unvisited. This is all the more strange because our beauty spots are got at by short railway journeys, eheiiply, and with little loss of time. Ruapehu, Ngaurolioe, and Tongariro are the loftiest, finest, and largest volcanoes in New Zealand. The group is magnificent, and is full of fascinating views, and tlio railway drops tho visitor at the foot of Ruapehu, and two trains run daily. Hero are boiling springs and hot lakes, and a steaming volcano. Here are really wonderful displays of volcanic phenomena. Here is moun-tain-climbing, and snow-fields, and glaciers. And from any of the mountains can be seen a very large part 'of tho North Island. _ ' . The thermal district begins in the south at Ruapehu, goes on from there to Tongariro to Lake Taupo, and thence to Rotorua, ending at White Island. Lake Taupo is just across the geographical boundary-line, dividing Auckland from Wellington, but it is part of tho same volcanic area. Tha Finest Holiday Resort In N.Z. I regard Lake Taupo as the finest play-ground in all Now Zealand. It is far ahead of Rotorua anil the Col-d j Lakes district. The air even in sum- j mer is bright and clear. There are hotels- at Tokaanu, at Taupo, and the Terraces for visitors. And there are such a host of varied sigllts—all most fascinating. At Tokaanu are hot springs and bathhouses, and tho charming waterfall at Waihi. Close by is the hill Pihanga; from the track over it is, I think, tho finest view in the North Island, but others think the viow from Tauwhara at the back of Taupo the are magnificent. At the southern foot of -Pihanga is Lake Roto a Ira—the most beautiful little lako in the Wellington district. At Taupo is the lake and the weirdly beautiful Waikato River, and a little further tho grand Huka waterfall and hard by tho Wairakei Valley, a museum of volcanic wonders, and the trips across the great lake are full of interest. To mo Lako Taupo seems the very most attractive holiday resort in New Zealand —it is so packed with strange and different sights —and the fresh air is such a sparkling tonic.

A few miles along the Rangitikei line running -out' of Palmerston North brings one to Awahuri, on the Orouii River, and a motor road takes one to Mount Stewart. From tho road to the summit of tho hili is only a few yards of easy walking. From this low hill one can see tho finest stretch of good .land in New Zealand. It is a magnificent view—t-o the east all tho fertile -lands lying at tho feet of the Runtime rango with its beautiful snow-clad peaks. North, south, and west the eye travels over a great fertile land—a land that in years to come will carry the biggest rural population and produce a greater quantity of wealth than any other part of New Zealand.

A mator ride from' Feildi'ng through the rich' Waituna district brines one'to a hill called Stormv Point. 'Pile view from here is still finer than at Mount Stuart. It is . higher, and an even larger area of magnificent fertile land is seen. Tho View. from either bill is enormously impressive. Tho wide scope of country and its great richness fill the visitor's mind with pleasure. It makes one feel proud of one's country. Yet both these views so enormously attractive draw scarcely any visitors. Why they are so neglected I cannot imagine. Rangitikei River. By holiday visitors this beautiful river is quite, neglected, yet in parts it is as fine as the Wanganui River. . The views in its upper parts are splendid, with its towering great steop white papa cliff. It is all very fine and quit© different from tho Wanganui River —a canoe trip would reveal most beautiful scenery.

In summer there is good- motoring and cycling from Taihnpo through Moawlianga, right on to Kuripapanga and thence on to Napier. Tho Taihape-Moawhanga-Kuri-papangn Road takes one through an entirely new and'most interesting country utterly different in character and scenery from the rich lands to the south, and lias fine views of Ruapelra, the lofty Kairnanawa Mountains, and the Ruahino Peaks, Whilst many

climbers every summer ascend 1 the Tarantas, tho lUiahiiie Mountains are never climbed. Most of the peaks havo never been trodden by the feet of man; they are steep, and liko the Kaimanawa reaches to n height of SflOO to 5700 feet. They badly need exploring, and are well worthy of being, climbed. Walrarapa. Motorists and cyclists go in shoals through tho "Wairarapa Valley from Featherston to Masterton to Paliiatua, but fow of them ever venture into the wido interesting scope of country—Wairarapa East. It is a most interesting drive from Foatherston through tlio Loiver Valley, along the north end of tho Wairarapa. Lake to tho sea at Whangamoana and back in the day. _ A drivo from Masterton to Castlcpoint, 44 miles, is another most interesting day. "Up the Opaki Plain, over Bennet's Hill, through the l'aueru and Maungapakeha Valley, to Tinui, Whakatakia, and thence to Castlepoint with its beautiful bays and its &no stretch of glittering sands. From Eketahuna to Alfredton is the most perfect motoring road I havo travelled on, in New Zealand, and thence it is possible in summer to motor oii to I'ongaroa. It is about 14 miles-from Eketahuna to Pongaroa. From here ono can motor down to the,sea at Aohanga and Akitio —from 15 to 20 miles away. Another mosi'excellent drive is from Pahiatua up the Makuri Valley to tho gorge on the Puketoi, where one looks down on Pongaroa, a largo stretch of country right over to tho lacilic Ocean. , , It has long been a matter of regret to me that our citizens so neglcct the verv beautiful scenery of tho province. Auckland and Otago derive great benefits from their largo tourist traffic ana tho profit it brings, but this city ana this province gain nothing cxcept that on tho Wanganui River. It is all the more curious, because this province contains such a very large quantity ot beautiful and varied scenery.