TRAVEL IN AMERICA.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 292, 10 December 1925, Page 9

TRAVEL IN AMERICA.

■ » ■ JOY OF GOOD ROADS. ; AX AUCKLANDER'S EXPERIENCE. Motoring on the good roads of the United States is a sheer joy, declares Mr. C. M. Moore-Jones, who with his wife, has just returned to Auckland from a tour of America, which lasted nearly two years. Apart from the great main highways the United States has fine "dirt" roads, i which are merely metalled roads, coated • with gravel. They favour l(ift roads, ■ bordered with 3ft strips of metalled ; grading. But most of the great roads i across America are of asphaltic-concrete, s or "hot-mix." I When mending roads in America, the ; authorities make detours for motorists to go round, and it is then only that the motoriot experiences anything .of the trials of travelling to which New Zealanders are accustomed. Mr. Moore-Jones i considers the most impressive sights in the United States to be the Grand Canyon and the scenery around Passedena nnd LO3 Angeles. All the "dirt" roads are graded immediately after rain by motor and horsedrawn graders, and good time can al- > ways be made over them. Mr. Moore- • Jones travelled up to 300 miles a day 1 on these roads, which afford fine hold- ; I The various motoring bodies in the 3 ' States are very much alive. They look ; {well after the comfort and safety of I visitors, and all cross roads and curves I are rcarked with danger signs, whilst notices at frequent intervals warn them that the asphalt is slippery and dangerous when wet. America's good roads are maintained by the revenue derived from motor licenses; those who use the roads pay for them. "America seems very prosperous," said Mr. Moore-Jones. "They seem to make money quickly, but they work very long hours there. They are a fine happy-going crowd. When they t ■ know you are from New Zealand you * alre most cordially received —as, in- " deed, are all strangers—and people seek - all available information from you rej garding this far-off country. But very I few people in America know anything I about this country. True, there is ' some publicity given us there, and I J was delighted to see a cinema which '• presented views of the American Fleet visit to New Zealand, particularly Auckland views; but we want more publicity. If the people knew what enjoy--3 ment could be had here, and what "" wonderful scenery we have, they would I come over in their thousands, for they have the money to spend and they are 1 to spend it. I had to explain to many folk that New Zealand was.some distance from Australia and was a separate Dominion. New Zealand papers received by mc, showing incidents of * the Fleet visit, were greatly appreciated ' by those to whom I passed them on. 1 : ""We are glad to get back," concluded " Mr. Moore-Jones. "To a returning 3 . Aucklander there is nothing like the , eyjlit of Rangitoto from the ocean."