EN ROUTE TO NAPIER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1925, Page 12 (Supplement)

EN ROUTE TO NAPIER.

\ FROM WAIRAKEI ONWARDS. i VIEWS OF STARTLING BEAUTY. ! I GLORIOUS TRIP COMPLETED. ■ „ "Are you up, Mr. ?" You spring " out of bed as fresh as the freshness of ; the morning. Tor the last time per- \ haps, clad in pyjamas and dressing-gown, ■ you trip lightly through the grounds, ■ trees and shrubs to the natural hot ■ water swimming bath nestled amongst ■ the ferns .lichens and trees of Nature's ■ bush. Sweetly upon the stillness of the ■ morning air the sott voice of a singer is ■ heard plaintively warbling quaint old Z Maori melodies. It is a brown-skinned ■ native who is swimming in the pool. Merry jest and laughter, splashing and — singing rend the crisp morning air. All * cares are forgotten. This is life—real y exhilarating, joyous life. -V splendid breakfast is awaiting you ~ and your fellow travellers and there is t a heartiness about that breakfast table which it is good to see and feel. "Arc- You All Ready?" ™ "Bill," the driver of the big service k. car comes to the dining room door and calls, "Are you all ready?" It seems a pity to leave that delicious rhind of bacon and that last round of toast. But it must be done. Sunny Xapier is calling. Final good-byes and farewells ¥ are exchanged, not "forgetting mine a hostess, who has come out to the hall ~ entrance to bid her "charges," as she calls everyone, "God-speed." The thought comes up with startling suddenness, "when shall we all meet again . —and where?" It is in the lap of the T gods. Once more that ever familiar cry, . "Are you all right?" from "Bill," our *" driver, and again the brakes are re- •*■ leased. The big car shoots forward frj over that wide sweeping drive between _' row upon row of native trees and shrubs, out on to the main highway to Napier, ■* 106 miles distant. Nobody speaks, i Everyone is silent. Each i 3 "busy with !g his or her own thoughts as the human

a, freight is whisked silently away into the „ hills and the glories of an early sunlit ■' morning. It seems a long time before 8" a passenger in the back-seat somewhat _■ hesitatingly asks, "What is that __. splendid mountain over there?" The g. spell has been broken. Tongues are let jj. loose and soon general conversation and ¥ laughter are to be heard on all sides. Someone is silent —he is looking back to T* "Wairakei the wonderful;" -where happy jj hours had been spent with nature, and amongst most delightful people. |k Speeding on the car sweeps round a r» bend on top of a hill overlooking the I> Waikato River and Wairakei valley. S Magnificent views of the famous Huka (V Falls and Lake Taupo—Taupo Moana rj* (the sea of Taupo)—aTe caught with > Xew Zealand's glorious snow-clad mounts tains of Ruapehu, Tongariro and |t Xgauruhoe as a most fitting back-ground across the blue sparkling water. On •i the left is Mount Tauharn, the centre [I of the North Island of. New Zealand, ft keeping solitary sentry over all Nature's S handiwork. S Scene of an Historic Massacre. S Eleven miles out from Taupo the scene S of the Opepe massacre in 1800 ia DC reached. The road rises all the way, and rjj at the actual site, which is marked by S a monument, the height ia 100 feet above •Si Lake Taupo, which in turn is 1211 feet k above sea level. Here the car pulled r. . up for a space, and a visit was paid S to the little cemetery where lie the mor-

tal remains of those who fell at the hands of the followers of the Maori leader, Te Kooti. A small party of the Bay of Plenty cavalry were at this spot on June 7, 1869. None of the enemy was thought to be anywhere near. The little body of men had dispersed among the old Maori whares, which were there at that time,

leaving their rifles piled and with no sentry. A party of Te Kooti's men coming along were surprised to see smoke issuing from some of the whares, which they had expected to find untenanted. They approached as though they were friendly, and the soldiers, recognising Maoris belonging to the Opotiki tribe, were quite unsuspicious. Meanwhile others of the enemy crept round unperceived to try to surround the pakehas. Some of the soldiers became suspicious, and tried to reach their rifles. That was the beginning of the end. Immediately

they were attacked and killed outright, after putting up a gallant fight. Only three of the soldiers escaped, being fortunate to get away into the bush unnoticed in the melee. For some time after this Opepe was the main military post in the district. At one time it boasted of an hotel and racecourse, where the troops held race meetings. It has all been deserted and .bush, scrub and undergrowth has re-, conquered the clearings. On to Beautiful Bush Lands. After passing the old historic site of the Rangitaiki Hotel the car begins to drop down in stages to lower levels. Away in the distance beautiful dense green bush is seen—such a welcome change to * the dreary expanse of flat plain, suitable only for tree planting. About 44 miles from Wairakei the most beautiful views of the Waipunga Falls are to be had, causing expressions of delight and pleasure to come from members of the- party. Then on through magnificent native bush in all its natural glorj 7 , with magnificent little glimpses of scenic beauties peeping here and there amongst the trees and tree-tops. Up and up the car climbs, and then down, down, down to Tarawera, 54 miles from Napier. At this pleasure resort a hearty meal. was partaken of at a most comfortable hotel near the hot springs.

Leaving Tarawera the travellers looked ahead and wondered. Where does

the road go? How can you get out of the basin Burrounded by mountains on every side? Presently round a corner the road comes into view and 2720 feet above sea level it crosses the top of Mount Turangakuma. Tis here one is thrilled with the mountain scenery. Peaks pop up on every side—some rock, some bush-covered. But look which way

you will, each succeeding one rises higher than the other, seeming to join the very clouds, thus forming a most wonderful background. We had climbed 1300 feet in three miles, and seemed to be up on top of the world again. It was a, glorious sight, and one never to be forgotten by the people whose good fortune it waa to be in that car on such a beautiful day in mid-winter. Once again you felt you did not want to speak, let alone talk. You just wanted to commune with Nature in all her vast mightiness, and glory.

But we must get on. Sunny Napier is calling. Down the car went at easy speed, passing en route through the native village of Te Haroto, and on to the valley of the Mohaka, 1020 feet above sea level, and 1700 feet lower than where we crossed over Mount Turangakuma. This valley js very fine indeed. Nature must