HOLIDAY TOURING

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 145, 16 December 1927, Page 11

HOLIDAY TOURING

STATE OF THE ROADS

AUTOMOBILE CLUB'S REPORT

The following report on roads is issued by the Wellington Automobile Club in view of the Christmas and New Year tourist and holiday traffic:: — Wellington to Shannon tePalmerston North, (100 miles).—Between Taekakariki to Paraparaumu is now very bad condition. Short section In Otakl Borough, near Railway Station use caution, risk of broken springs. Wellington to Foxton to Palmerston North (104 miles). —See above; then good. Foxton to Bulls (20 miles).—Loose gravel, but improving by use of grader. Bulls to Taihape (58 miles).—Good. Taihape to Ohakune (40 miles). —Only fair. Chains required if bad weather, between Hihitahl and Waiouru and Tangiwhal and Karioi. Unmetallod between Ohakuno and Mataroa. Waiouru to Tokaanu.—Not recommended. Centre portion very rough; several fords to cross. Taihape to Napier.—Narrow road. Large portion umrfetalled, but quite passable. Service cars run daily. Not recommended if wet weather. Bulls to Wanganui (26-30 miles). —Good all the way. Wanganui to Ohakune (68 miles).—Passable !t fine weather. Chains required if wet. Seven miles unmetalled at Parapara. Kequire3 careful driving. Many sharp bends. Not recommended after heavy rain. Ohakune to Taumarunul (65 miles).—Very good. Ohakuno to Horopito, rough road, not recommended ; passable for experienced motorists. Taumarunui to Te Kuiti (51 miles).—Very rough, chains required. Passable flna wear ther only. Te Kuit! to Hamilton (52 miles).—First twenty miles pot-holes; balance good. Hamilton to Pokeno (40 miles).—Good, except pot-holes round Huntly. Pokeno to Auckland.—Good metal road. Wanganui to Now Plymouth (105 miles).—Excellent all the way; 110 miles if via Lepperton; turn off to right at Inglewbod (all flat). . ■ ■■■• Stratford to Tangarakau Gorge.—lf weather dry, in good order. Apply Stratford branch, South Taranakl Automobile Association for latest information. New Plymouth to Te Kuitl (112 miles).—73 miles good, last 35 very rough. New Plymouth to Awakino Valley in first-class order. Parts round Matioenui, rough; balance very rough. Auckland to Whangarei.—No report. Auckland to Helensviile (39 miles).—Leaving the concrete at Henderson the road through the Lincoln road to Haapai is good; now metalled all the way. Helensviile to Dargaville (70 miles).—Good. Bad loose metal over Waitakere Ranges; also Walnaku Hill has bad surface. Helensviile to Kaltala.—Part metal; in good condition. EAST COAST AND TAUPO. Wellington to Masterton to Napier.—General conditions of ' all roads in the Walrarapa is good. Best route from Masterton ■to Eketahuna is via Mount Bruce. Bowen 1 road is passable, but more pot-holes. Roads from Waipukurau to Porangahau Beach, metalled and in good order. Waipawa to Pourere Beach, metalled and in good order. ■ • Palmerston North to Woodvllle (17 miles).— Good. Woodville to Napier (120 miles);— Good. Napier to Wairoa (82 miles).—Matahola Bridge very dangerous; not repaired since flood, 1 six months ago. From Napier to Tangoio, loose shingle and pot-holes. Wairoa to Glsborne (66 miles).—Good. Metalled in excellent condition; Wairoa 'to Waikaramoana, excellent road to Lake outlet. The last five miles round the laka side to Accommodation House is fairly rough, but passable now in wet weather. Final metalling on this portion willl be completed in two months' time. Napier to Taupo (100 miles). —Napier to TePohuo requires attention, then cood condition. Taupo to Wafmarino.—Fair condition. Four miles, branch off at Tongariro 'Bridge for ■Tokaanu. t .- . j Waimarino to Raetihi.—Quite good. Gangs now working on worst part. ■ , ■ • I Taupo to Rotorua (56 miles).—Good. Rough in few places, but always passable.: Rotorua to Whakatane (56 miles).—Good. I Whakatane to Gisborne (143 miles).—Good, if! fine. Chains required if wet. Clay section unmetalled between Matawai and Otoko. Gisborne to Motu.. Gisborne to Kick's Bay.—All roads good at present. Ruatorla to Hick's Bay liable to be difficult in wet weather. Taupo to Atiamuri to Hamilton.—Pumice road, in good condition; chains occasionally required in very wet weather. Rotorua to Tlrau (34 miles).—Cood if flno; chains required if wet. About two'- miles' newly graded; bad if much rain.:, .-, Tirau to Hamilton (35 miles).—«dbcl. " Whakatane to Tauranga (62 miles).—Good.. All metal. ' Tauranga to Waihi (43 miles).—At present in nrst-class order. If wet, chains required for five miles, between ten and fifteen mile pegs. Rotorua to Whatatanc (56 miles).—Good the exception of pot-holes between Te Puke and Tauranga. Waihi to Pokeno (65 miles).—Good. THE SOUTH ISLAND. Tho roads generally in the South Island are good, and the new Selwyn Bridge, on the Main South road, will be open for traffic from 20th December. The following arrangement has been made with the Railway Transport Department for the trucking of cars to the West Coast. A train will leave Springfield at 2 p.m. on Saturday, 24th December, carrying cars and passengers. If any members wish to avail themselves of this arrangement, please advise the Canterbury Automobile Association, who will book trucks for them.

It is, and will be, quite impossible to drivo a car between Bealey and Arthur's Pass for some considerable tune.