A.A.A.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 292, 10 December 1929, Page 19

A.A.A.

SUMMER ROAD REPORT. ' ! BEST ROUTES FOR CHRISTMAS I INTERESTING INFORMATION. The following road report is issued by the touring department of the Auckland Automobile Association as a preliminary report; of Christmas roading conditions. Immediately before Christmas, however, detailed description of roads will be prepared by the association. . The recent long spell of wet weather has played havoc with most of the unmetalled routes and motorists are strongly advised to obtain the latest reports. before venturing on unmetalled roads. '■" In all cases tyre chains should be carried. *■ , , ~ Auckland-Waiwera.—Best route, Bir-kenhead-Albany, take beach at, OrewaWaiwera Hill, slightly greasy on corners Wet weather. Auckland-Helensville.—Either road in fair orider. Helensville-Wellsford — Clay stretches •deeply, rutted. Trouble in wet weather. Waiwera-Warkworth.—Direct road not advised, suggest Puhoi-Ahuroa-Wood-cocks-Warkworth. Available for traffic. Somewhat rough and bad in wet weather. Warkworth-Hoteo-Tauhoa.—ln fair order. . Warkworth-Wellsford, via Wayby. — Fair order, avoid in wet weather. Matakana Hill and Whangaripo Valley.—Very rough, avoid after- rain. Wellsford-Mangawai-Waipu.—ln fine weather, either cross railway line and join East Coast Road at Whangaripo corner or travel via Te Hana. If wet, travel via Te Hana, thence to East Coast road via Fairy Hill. • Mangawai Gorge.—Rough. Wellsf ord - Topuni - Maungaturoto. — Clay surface, bad in Avet weather. Portions reasonably graded. Maungaturoto-Waipu, via Gorge — Care should be exercised passing new work. Road will probably be closed j after New Year for reconstruction. Maungaturoto-Dargaville. —In good order. Waipu-Whangarei.—ln good order. Dargaville-Whangarei.—ln good order. Dargaville or Whangarei to Kaikohe.— Unmetalled gap, avoid in wet weather. Whangarei, via Kawakawa, to Kaikohe.—Take Jordan Valley deviation, between Hikurangi and Hukerenui. Small unmetalled gap at countyrboundary, bad in wet weather, use paddock, ■ 2/6 ,toll. Dargaville, via Waipoua Forest, to Kaikohe.—Metalled route except short gap near : Aranga, clay, usually fair'in ; pummer.' * ,-■■'": ! '

Kaikohe - Whangaroa - Mangqinui - Jiaitaia.—Negotiable all weathers.^ order, except stretch Okaihaujßqngiahua. Railway construction has left this section in bad order. 1 Rawene-Broadwood-Herekino-Kaitaia. Short unmctalled gap, avoid &i wet weather. .'.,': j Kaitaia-Spirits ; Bay.—lnland road very rough. Ninety-mile beach! more comfortable.- V \ • ■ Hamilton-Te Kuiti-New Plymouth.— All .weather road. Much of AuckflandHamilton road now tar sealed. Hamilton-Ngaruawahia. — Corrugates after heavy traffic, but continually graded. Hamilton-Te Awamutu.—Fair, To Awamutu-Otorohanga.—Fair order, but pot-holed in places. Otorotianga-Te Kuiti.—Pot-holed between Otorohanga-Waitomo Junction, but clay deviation provides good travailing- , , Te Kuiti to Pio Pio.—Road under con>struction, and care necessary in places—-• surface fair—in parts road rough beyond* Paemako. Beyond .Awakino; surface im--proves. Hamilton-Rotorua.—Road in fair order. New work between Cambridge and Tirau. Tirau-Taupo.—ln good order; becomes cut up and rough near Tokoroa in wet weather. r Rotorua-Taupo.—Good order. - Taupo-National Park.—Surface corrugated; to be graded. Taupo-Napier.—Good order. Te Kuiti-National Park.—Mostly in fair condition; care should be exercised Te Kuiti-Taumarunui, where new work is being carried out; avoid road after heavy rain. Pio Pio-Ohura-Stratford. — Northern section clay; rough in places; long length'of new metal south of Ohura. National Park-Wanganui. —Metal road in fair order; improves further south. National Park - Taihape - Palmerston North.—Metal road in fair order; good surface on southern end. Taihape-Napier.—Some heavy grades; clay surface rough;, avoid wet weather. Waiouru-Tokaanu.— 'Direct road being graded; very much improved surface; avoid in very wet weather. Auckland-Paeroa-Thames.— Metal road in good order. . Hamilton - Paeroa - Thames. — Fanorder; one or two lengths slightly potholed. ■ ;'•■ Thames-Coromandel.— Much improved surface; metalled; watch for new road . work. . Coromandel-Mercury Bay.—Much lmI proved surface; metalled. L -Thames to Mercury -Bay, via Coroglen'.—ln fair" order; clay sections; > avoid after rain. b Coromandel-Colville-Port Charles.—-In i gdod order;/clay sections; carry chains;. i necessary after rain; --' • :•■

Paeroa-Tauranga, via Waihi.—Clay section very rough; unfavourable traveling; avoid after any rain. Paeroa-Tirau, via Matamata. —In fair arder; nietalled road. Matamata, via Kaimai, to Tauranga.— Metalled road in good order; Matamata side; somewhat rough on Tauranga end. Tauranga-Te Puke. —Part metalled, part clay; rough travelling; carry chains after rain. Te Pukc-Whakatane. — Unmetalled stretches; mostly v pumiced. Usually negotiablo all Aveather.. Whakatane-Opotiki.—A good metalled road. Rotorua-Te Puke. — Pumice; good order; exercise care four miles from Rotorua to negotiate one car road for quarter of a mile. Rotorua-Whakatane. —In fair order; usually holds traffic throughout summer; exercise care four miles from Rotorua to negotiate one car road for quarter of a mile. Opotiki-Gisborne.—All Aveather road except four fords, Avhich are troublesome after hea\ 7 y rain. Metalled surfaces someAvhat rough betAveen MataAvai and Otoko. Road Avork in progress; alternate route via Waioeka Valley to MataAvai, open for traffic December 20 to January 5. Avoid after/am; several bad fords to detour. Gisbornc-Napier.—ln good order; somewhat rough at Morere and Wharerata Hills. Alternate route via Tinoroto and Hangarqa presents easier grades, but has clay' gap.' .Wairoa-LakcWaikareinoana.—Metal-led r pad;, potholed round lake. Wairoa-Napier.—-In good order. Rotorua-Lake Waikaremoana, via TJrewera. —In - fair order. Section of road beyond Wai-iti becomes soft after rain. Access to lake not available until afier Christmas Day: Southern Portion of Island. —All main rokites south of Ncav Plymouth-Palmers-toE North and Napier are all weather roaVls, and are maintained in good order. The Foxton-Sanson road luider reformaaticw, route via Palm erstori North recommenVled. Coast Resorts.—Raglan and Kawpiia, all Aveather road, in fair order.