WINTER TOURING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 129, 3 June 1930, Page 15

WINTER TOURING.

KING'S BIRTHDAY.

MOTORISTS IN PROVINCE.

IMPROVED MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Even in June there is encouragement to motorists to leave Auckland after business and spend holidays like the King's Birthday touring in the province. One of the biggest influences in this direction is the improved condition of the main highway to the south. Naturally the Auckland Automobile Association's office staff was busy yesterday answering inquiries from intending tourists, and places like Hamilton, Cambridge, Te Aroha, Paeroa, and Rotorua were popular, The office was kept open to-day for the convenience of visitors to Auckland from districts between Helensville and Hamilton. • j

There have been some inquiries about the northern routes, but those parts of the province are not included in the regular winter touring programme of the association, owing to the condition of the northern highways.

Driving Instruction. Part of the A.A.A.'s "safety first" campaign is • the new movement to give instruction in driving to those Avho have secured licenses but are really "new chums" with cars. It is less than a month since the association adopted a recommendation to give this additional service to its members, and the decision has been fully justified by the results. The service department has been kept busy every day giving general instruction in driving,, and generally helping owners to get a closer knowledge of their cars. The idea at the back of it all is to teach drivers to act more quickly and more correctly when the need arises.

When the scheme is in full swing in the city the benefits of instruction will be extended to the country districts. Lady drivers have been well- represented among the inquirers, ftnd have been given a good grounding--? in the niceties of changing gears as,.well .as irt other points that concern the life of the car and the security of its -occupants.

Patrols Kept Busy., Number 8 patrol of the A.A.A. is now engaged in a tour of the Bay of. Plenty districts, and will probably be busy with headlight testing and general service for another month. A country patrol will probably leave Auckland towards the end of this month on a tour of the Gisborne district, calling at Putaruru on the way to test headlights.

The sign-posting patrol -will be going through the King Country, and will cover the Marakope-Konohaku Road from Waitpmo to Te Kuiti and Piopio next week, doing some preparatory work, for sign-posting.