MOTOR TOUR OF NORTH ISLAND

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLV, Issue 6817, 17 January 1917, Page 4

MOTOR TOUR OF NORTH ISLAND

Interesting Account by Mr W. R. Nankervis.

An interesting Recount of a motor tcur of the North Island, mada during the Christmas holidays, was ohtained-ye3-terday from Mr W. R. Nankarvis, who returned te Tauranga last week atfer a round trip of ever 1200 miles. Mr G. M. Smith (Bfy of IMenf* retiresentative of Messra John Burns & Co., Ltd.), raa^oieo! the party from Rotarua to Wellington, and Mr Cliff Nunkctvis finished his share ot the tour at Auckland. Leaving T euranga at 1 p.m. on Frday, December, 22nd, and travelling via Ball's Road Paenearob, Rotorua, 62 miles wa3 reached only ju^t ia time fir dianer. This was the moat Htrenuous section of tba wjnle journay, the roads hay ing suffered considerably from foe heavy rains of Chriatmag waek. It rained all i Friday night at Rotorua, bat cleared at daybreak and the party of three ! started at 4.45 a. men route to Napier. j'Tbe road was sloppy, but fast time was made to The Terraces 2 miles the other side of Taupo, which hotel was reached in time for breakfast. Resuming the rnn at 9.15 a.m. the road was found to be exceptionally, good to Runnnga Bridge, 34 miles from laupo. It is practically a levul run to this point, but the next 50 miles to Napier a series of steep hills are met with. Immediately after crossing Runauea Bridge what was perhaps the steepest hill on the whole tour was met with. It is called Tikahi karewa, and from the top a decent view of the Waipunga Falls is obtained. Tarawera was reached at 11.30 a.m. and a stay for lunch was made here, the journey being resumed at 1 p.m. Not much further on the ascent of Tura-nt?R-kuma commences. From the stream at the bottom to the top is a solid climh of 3 miles to an altitude of 2,700 feet. The view from the top is an eye-opener. A pleasant rundown to the Mohaka Kiver brings to view the suTimit of the next big hill, Titio-kura, another big climb in 5 wiles of 1,350 feet f/om Mohaka Bridge. It was on this hill that most trouble was met in a short stretch of unraßtalled road and the parts only just got throueh without other assistance. From the top of litio-kura it is a very pleasant run irto Napier, through Pohue and Eskdale, and perhaps the nearest that can be compared in the North Island to the beautiful country lanes of England. Napier was reached at 4.45 p.m., after a total day's run of 158 miles. Sunday was spent resting, and with a spin round the city and « rlimh of Scinde Hill tor the fine panoramic view it affords. The foregoing portion of this description has been detailed as being of most interest to local motorist?, the trip from Tauranea to Napier affording every kind of scenic study and every kind of driving with a car, the two hills Turamja-kuma and 'litiokura being something quite cut of the ordinary. On Christmas Day a fine run was recorded on the splendid Hawked Bay and Wellington roads. Napier was left at 5a m. and Wellington, 225 miles, was reicbed at 5.30 p.m. The . party made Dannevirke, 87 miles, for breakfast,, and passing through Woodville, Eketahuna and Maanceville, ttev'niade Masterton, 158 miles, for Christmas dinner, which was thor--ushly enjoyed after the lon« drive. Taking things quietly Carterton, Greytnwn and Feitheraton camp were Dassed and the Rirautskas negotiated 'in good time. The summit has been marked at 1,760 feet and the Wairarapa Automobile Association has effected considerable improvements on this road in the shape of mile pegs and warning signs of dangerous corners. Through Kaitoke and Upper Hutt the scenery along the river is beautiful and th« run ended with a final ten miles into Wellington along the widest metalle^ road in New Zealand. . Boxing Day was spent quietly in Wellington and on the Wednesday, Marton 134 miles, was reached, via Paekaksriki.,Levin, Palmertson North and Feilding. The best acenery was in the vicinity of Paekakatiki, a pretty gorge endiag with a very fine spaacape view of the coast and Kopiti Island. Marton to Hawera, 100 mile-, was the next day's rtfrf and at Wangnnui a spin down to Castlecliff Beach was enjoyed. At Hawera a stay of two days was made at the farm "of Mr Fred Mills, eenr., Tokarot, some 4 miles out on the South Ko.ad. Mr Mills is this year's President of the Hawera A. & P. Association, and is well known throughout the Dominion for his Ayrshire, cattle and Berkshire pigs. Here we saw the champion butterfat producing Ayrshire cow of New Zea land and some others with good semiofficial reenrds. On the saras farm is also the best dairy cow in that home .of dairying, Taranaki, as well as the show ring champion i£ the North Island among Ayrshire cows. The csttle should be of special interest to many of our farmers, as they are without doubt the breed best suited to the more broken and poorer parts of our district. Owing to their great constitution and capacity for eco - mical production theyshow to advanta.se undei adverse conditions where otherbreeda generally fail Right from Napier uplendid roads were the motorists' delight, but coming into Hawera the famous Taranaki macadamised roads came in for commendation. There is nothing better in New Zealand and a stretch of it from Hawera, through Manaia to Otakeho, is perfect specimen of the class of rea B mentioned. From Hawer to Newd Plymouth there are several uretches of:it and this tun was.'tna.de via Elthara, Stratford and Inglewood, New Plymouth being reached on Saturday, December 30. A stay of four days was made at New Plymouth and during this time a trio among others was made to the Mountain House situated 3,2U0 feet up on Mount Egmont. To the pleasure seeker and vacationist Mounf Egmont oilers attractions in the way of energizing air that thrills whb power andI'scenery tt»a.t inspires with beauty and majesty. The Government Hostelry is reached in about anvbour'a run from New Plymouth ars fair the l«st four railes of the journey a well graded road xuna through the nationol park of virgin forest. The party'niode ■the ascent of the mountain and two ot them teached the summit," 8,260 feet, after a four hoars' climb, which was full of sport and incident This was a most enjoyable day's outingi Wbila in New Plymouth wetsere the guests cf Mis James Spence, of Carrington Road, and we again fail in for inspection of another fine lot of cattle—thip. time pedigree Jerseys. The Parata wbiti herd was established some six or seven years ago and comprises some very fine stock. Mr S|»£nee has, during 'the liasfc year or so, been busy testing several cf his cows under the eemi-bfficial system.-A fine record was j

mads last year by faia" four year old cow "Saltan'a Las 3- She gave in the 12 montha over 10,000Uis of milk, this producing just over 580jbs of butter fat. Others have given wtll over 4UO lbs of butter fat for tha same period and it is interesting to note what stock of this quality ate worth to the dairyman, especially at the present prices of produce.

The commencement of the return journey was made on Wednesday, January 3rd, at 8 a.m., and at 10 a.m. next mnrning Auckland was reached— a run of 245 miles. Tbe morning spin 'from New Plymoutr, tbrnugh Wsiiara and Urenui, ovet MotK-ff Messenger and down to tba Coast at Tongaporutu was greatly enjoyed, the bush scenery being magnificent. Ths road then skirts the West Coast to Mokau. the bieakera on the be:ch making a fine B'ght. The Mokau was crossed on a medieval fetiy and at Awakino d riglt angle turn vaa made to Te Kuiti. This road is very rough for 10 miius;—quite as bsd as cur beloved Kaimui—but after that it improves uotil passing Mahoenui and Pia Pio it is quite gesd going into Te Kuiti. Ths final.spin to Hamilton, where the night was spent, needs little descriptiotl, also the last 81 miles Hamilton-Auckland. Fi-ially, a few iJays were spent in Auckland and then the car was put on the Thames boat and the final run into Tauranga, 75 mil^s, was made in good time over very fair ruads. After leaving Kctprua, tiie travellers experienced splendid weather right through. The car gave no trouble of any sort and only one puncture was recorded in a total distance run of 1248 miles over every clus3 of road in the Island.