MODERN MOTORING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 302, 21 December 1926, Page 17

MODERN MOTORING.

A TRIP THROUGH THE UREWERA COUNTRY. A party of Auckland motorists, .Messrs. n Ilenning, J. Hardie, E. B. Sp«nks and p. Diddams accompanied the service officer of the Auckland Automobile Association into the Urcwera Country over the week-end. HMr. Hall-Jones, resident engineer of the Public Works Department at Hamilton, who travelled to HMamaku with HMr. Champtaloup while he was arranging for summer traffic and inspecting the new road, also made the journey. Leaving Auckland at 5 a.m. Friday, breakfast was taken at Hamilton and after spending some time with "Mr. A. H. Glass, the contractor in charge of the work of the HMamaku hills, Eotorua was reached for lunch. One car then went on, but the A.A.A. service car did not get away until 3.30 p.m. After running towards Taupo a turn was taken out towards the Kaingaroa Plains and the miles swiftly flew by as the cars spun along a good ■pumice road. Munpora was reached about seven o'clock, and then after a run of a couple of miles towards the hills it was a puzzle to know where the road vrent. Just when wondering if a wrong turn had been taken a narrow valley came into sight and a road wound round the hill side up into the mountains to drop through the bu?h to an open clearing, in which stood Te Whaiti. It was close on eight-thirty p.m. before the party sat down to a hearty tea which was provided by the genial host, HMr. Mcpherson. Towering above Te Whaiti is the hill on which the famous Maori chief, Te Kooti, made a stand against the British troops, and from which he and his followers escaped overnight. The old pits and stockades are still apparent Up betimes on Saturday, a start was made for HRuatahuna. This part of the journey defies description. The densest of bush with innumerable shades of green and the red of the flowering rata make a bright splash here and there. The road wound up and up and still higher to the top of Mt. Tarapounamu, and then dropped down, following a crystal-clear stream through dense bush until the open valley at HRuatahuna was reached. At Haipipi a atop was made to see the ancient Paitini, one of Te Kooti's right-hand men. He was found out riding on horseback—his age by the way is 101 years—and afterwards he posed for the camera in the famous "tapu" (holy) coat which Te Kooti used to wear. Past Ruatahuna the road continued four miles to Wai-iti, from whence a track led for a couple of miles to the Jlatatua native settlement, where is one of the largest Maori carved meeting houses. Rua's village is situated within 15 miles of this, the track continuing right on to the northern shores of Lake Waikaremoana. Mr. Champtaloup returned home on Sunday, the second car arriving home yesterday afternoon. All in the party described the trip as magni'irent and were unanimous that the country was a sportsman's paradise, pheasants, quail, rabbits, hares, wild pigs and cattle being in abundance. The many streams /also afford good trout fishing. SUMMER TOURING. Hundreds of motorists are availing themselves of the wonderful touring organisation which the Auckland Automobile Association has built up. Every member on application is being provided with a personal itinerary for his summer tour. The office staff has had to be enlarged to cope with the present rush. Letters are being received from all over the Dominion, but the special detail information which the A.A.A. possesses is being retained for "members only." By the end of the next fortnight 2500 road direction signs will have been placed in position at the various junctions and corners throughout the country. The service officer will visit Mangawai over the coming week-end to investigate the disappearance of several A.A.A. signs and place fresh signs in position. Here signs have several times been pulled down, but from information received the culprit should not be hard to find. A GOOD RUN TO WELLINGTON. Mr. Archie Cleland made good time on a trip to Wellington last week. He left Auckland at 5 a.m. and arrived at the Grand Hotel, Wellington, at 11.10 p.m., the actual running time being 13h 50m. The times of passing through the principal towns en route were: Hamilton 7.20 a.m., Te Awamutu 7.50 a.m., where a stop was made for breakfast. Leaving at 8.44 a.m.. Te Kuiti was reached at 9.40 a.m., Pio Pio 10.30 a.m., Mokau Ferry 11.55 a.m., Inglewood was reached at 1.30 p.m., where a halt was made for lunch. Leaving at 2.35 p.m., Stratford was reached at 2.55 p.m., Hawera 3.25 p.m., Wanganui being reached at 5.31 p.m. Business necessitated staying here until 7.23 p.m., Wellington being reached at 11.10 p.m. Mr. Cleland was accompanied by HMr. A. W. Andrews, the car being a Velie sedan.