ROAD TO NEW PLYMOUTH

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 83, 9 April 1929, Page 16

ROAD TO NEW PLYMOUTH

A HOLIDAY TRIP. ROUGH STRETCHES NEAR TE KUITI. NEED FOR WARNING SIGNS. (By W.A.W.) Back from a run to New Plymouth for the first time, perhaps a few notes on the road.and conditions may he of interest to your numerous readers, some of whom may not have been over thi.s ground. The road from Auckland to Hamilton is familiar to so many motorists that it needs no comment, beyond the fact that tar sealing is now in full swing on the Hangiriri deviation, and traffic is compelled to use the old road over the hill. Just beyond Mercer work is being carried on vigorously judging by the progress made during the week which elapsedr between going out and home. The Bombay deviation was closed on Good Friday owing to the wet but is now open and in good order. The road from Hamilton to Te Awamutu is very lair, but gets worse as Otorohanga, 118 miles out. is approached. The A.A.A. signposts are good and are a great help to anyone on this road for the first time. The hills, entering and leaving Te Kuiti, 1.'!3 miles out, arc rough, especially beyond the town, and care is necessary when passing. The use of the horn is advisable at some of the sharp bends on this section and right on to Awakino. On this part there is room ' for a number of -warning signs. One of the Taranaki's Association's signs, "Corner, sound horn." could be used to great advantage. I found that only the ser* | vice car drivers ever attempted to use i their horn; in fact, most of the cars we met might have been minus this cqnipI ment for all the use made of it. The sign at the old Taumatamire road turn off is "skied," and one Is past it before noticing it. The Awakino gorge. 182 miles out, is partly tar sealed, and from this on to Moaukau the road improves and runs along the coast giving a glorious view of the sea. At Tongaporutu. 197 miles out, the road leaves the coast for the ascent, of ) Mount Messenger, 202 miles out. This presents no difficulty to an ordinary I driver, the road beinjr tar sealed all the way. It is steep and narrow, but ordinary caution plus the use of the horn, will carry on? through without trouble. After descending to Ureti valley the road is again rough. but improves approaching Waitara. 233 miles out, and from here it is only 10.} miles to New Plymouth. This town has so many attractions in Mount Effmont. with its three mountain houses, Puk-ekura and Kararoa parks, the wharves and breakwater, and manv other points of interest that it is well worth spending a few days amonjst them. Familiarity with the road coming home enabled an hour to be knocked off the running time of 12 hours, but the necessity of using the horn on had bends was more apparent than ever as we met the holiday traffic returning to New Plymouth.