NEW ROAD TO TOKAANU.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 27, 2 February 1932, Page 9

NEW ROAD TO TOKAANU.

PUNGA VALLEY ROUTE. ONXY THIRTY-FOUR MILES. TRAMPING PARTY'S TRIP. (From Out Own Correspondent.) TAUMARUNUI, Monday. Setting out from Taumarunui at 6.30 a.m. on Anniversary Day, a party of 18 representatives of local bodies made an interesting walking trip to Tokaanu, over the route of the new road now under construction from the Punga Punga Valley to the lake. The trip was organised by Mr. J. A. Gordon, and the party was led by Mr. A. Sandel. The Taumarunui County Council, Kaitieke County Council, Manunui Town Board and other bodies were represented, and Mr. F. Langstone, M.P., also made the trip. On the first day the party went by motor bus from Taumarunui to the Punga Punga Valley, just above Manunui, and thence for about a mile along the new formation. Here the journey on foot began. About 130 relief workers are engaged on the new road, the formation work having been completed over the first mile. The formation has been partly completed for another two miles, and the work of clearing the bush has been done for another mile. The road is 18ft wide, and there is a goodsuply of metal close at hand. The party reached Hitchman's bush cookhouse, on Ellis and Burnand's mill line, about 9 o'clock. Two pack horses were loaded with camping gear, blankets, and provisions. . The journey was recommenced at about 10.30 a.m., and the trampers were soon in the heart of the bush. Dairying Land. The Paerata ridge was reached in less than an hour, and from there a magnificent view was obtained of the country that had just been traversed, with Taumarunui away in the distance. This area, comprising about 0000 acres, is easy land of good quality—probably some of the best land in the King Couu-

try —and quite 80 per cent of it _is ploughable. It could be cut up into dairy farms to carry about 30 cows, and would provide settlement for numerous farmers. There is plenty of fencing timber available, and, as the boundary of the area that is now being roaded is only four miles from the Main Trunk railway, the freight on manures would be light. Thus the carrying capacity of this land should be very high.

From Paerata the journey through the bush was continued down into the Tuna saddle, and a halt was made at Sealey's saddle for lunch. The country in this area, and running away towards the Punga Punga Valley, was also found to be of good quality. After lunch the trampers pushed on to the top of Waitaki hi 11,.2600 feet, and again the view vv-as magnificent. To the west lay Taumarunui, to the south the Tongariro range stood out prominently, and to the east the corner of Lake Taupo was visible. The road now being formed will run past Waituhi Hill, and in the future no doubt this 15-mile run will become one of the most popular car trips from Taumarunui. From Waituhi the trampers pushed on over an easy grade to Moerangi, where the standing bush ran out into a patch of open country at the 2200 ft level. Moerangi was reached at 6 p.m. and camp was pitched for the night, the distance covered for the first day (from Taumarunui) having been about 22 miles. Into Open Country. The first day's journey, with the exception of the first few miles, was entirely through bush, much of it of good unliable timber, but on the second day's march to the lakeside the trampers had open country all the way. The road formation over this area for quite half the distance to the lake (about twelve miles from Moerangi) will be very easy. Eain fell overnight and continued until about. 9 a.m., and the start in the morning was delayed until about 11.30 a.m. The twelve-mile journey was taken at an easy pace, a halt being made for lunch for an hour just after the Kuratau River had been crossed. Tn the afternoon the journey was continued along the Kuratau flats, and at about five o'clock the party passed round the north of Pukekaikiore Hill, and half an hour later arrived at Omart, where accomnio-1 dation was found in some huts at t e.J lakeside. The new road will prob^.

come out within a few miles of Omari, somewhere between the mouth of the Kuratau River and Pukawa village, a few miles north of Tokaanu. Along the Beach. On Sunday an early start was made over the last stage of the journey, along the beach to Pukawa village, thence over high country which rose rapidly, and from which a view of the area covered on the previous day was obtained. Pushing on round the base of Kakaramea (4260 ft), the party at length came out at Otukou Pa, on the National Park-Tokaanu Road, and from there proceeded by motor tms to Taumarunui, arriving home at six o'clock on Sunday evening after a most enjoyable tramp. When completed, the new road will enable Taumarunui people to reach Lake Taupo by car in about an hour, the distance being approximately 34 miles.