HOLIDAY MOTORISTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 306, 27 December 1926, Page 9

HOLIDAY MOTORISTS.

ROUTES AFFECTED BY RAIN. THE TAUPO DEVIATION. According to reports that Lave been received from the East Coast, and also from the thermal districts, by the A.uckland Automobile Association, it is considered likely that the holiday anticipations of touring motorists may not materialise. A telegram to-day stated that the Gis-borne-Opotiki Road was impassable, but with a couple of fine daj-s it is expected that this road will again be open for traffic by Wednesday. Many Auckland motorists left during the last week on southern tours, and took the route through Awakino Valley and across Mount Messenger on their way to Palmerston North and Napier. It was their intention to return through Gisborne and across the mountain range to Opotiki. As they are not likely to reachthe East Coast Gorge until the beginning of next week, conditions may have improved sufficiently to enable them to return without any trouble. No adverse reports have yet been received from the Awakino district. The deviation route between Tokaanu and Taupo was to have been open for Christmas, but it was reported to-day that motorists will still find it necessary to ford two streams, as the work on the deviation is not yet completed. The fording of one of the streams may give difficulty to any motorist, as there is a sudden drop and the stream has a shingle bed. The deviation is about two miles long, and will give a good approach to the new bridges that have been built. It will also make the route from Auckland to the Tongariro National Park an all-weather route without any streams to be forded.

A number of holiday motorists left Auckland last week for Wanganui and Palmerston intending to return through the National Park, via Raetihi or Taihape, which would mean fording the two streams in question, unless the deviation was opened in the meantime. On this point the Auckland Automobile Association is not able to give any information, but reports that, as a rule, the streams are lowest at this time of the year.