WITH TENT AND CAR

Evening Post, Issue 145, 22 December 1928, Page 26

WITH TENT AND CAR

';' > v;;i'"V:'. v'r:Y.:'.".' ..*'♦ ,','.;!".' '""""- "■■:;'" lr\. DAY§IJN^GANTERBURY ;, f'-----\ ■">■-■-/:/:';''■'.'■■':^,<->y ,- ■'; -':,''■'-■-■■■'■ ■'■ ■.';- -' -(JHEISTGHIILTGH TO oiMAEU ,;;-^:;; ; -J''(A^rIUgnts"Reseryed.);> _ ..'.' :";So far iri; these articles we have c^erod :only those "roads' which, on account; of,their.;scenic',beauty, present a> .'■ special; appeal.'to the., camper-motorist. There aro; many;, other roads scattered throughout the country,; which, while not actually beautiful .in themselves, yet lcad'to'idealiioliday.spots, or pass , through much interesting. country. Tho jojjncy,froin Christchurch to Oumaru, ' wlilo ,'ii.bt reiTo'wricd: for any strikingly ;:beautiful-■scenery;'.ds interesting, iirstly because .of.r.thVrfine1 country through | which-.-the,Uoadl-passes, and secondly ' because of. theJmany side-trips which can'ibe made. , .Themotorist wlio runs ■: straight ;.thrbugh 'frpm Christchuvch to Duncdin^wlienryie'is ..making a tour round rtho' South Island misses many - places;' .qf jinterest, tliis being ; especially? th.6; ease;ifUie docs not stop at soinb',of'.Ithe..very fine towns which, aro passed--thTOughSen; route. ;■' ;:■',: •ABuming'-'that..the .'motorist, camper. has/visited the West .Coast, and is. arriving. in '■; Ghristchurch[,: ; lie :. naturally wish tb know where he may. canipj and . what;- 'ar : e :■: the^th'iiigs .worth ' seeing around the. :Ca.th'e'dral;.Oity. :«JProvided he is a member, of some'automobile association,; tho fiiiest;: eainping. facilities in: the country; await'; him at Christ'chHrch];for•.'at''Hlio; Showgrounds 'at Addington,; i' or;'a very'modest fee. per day/ he '.will be"'.'. accoinniodated in ..a concrete building,- replete;with? cubicles, ..electric vlight,; gas'-copkers, and hot baths, Awhile his.car will be garaged free, of 'charge. ' 'If; the; tent is preferred, this can bopitched in the large '' sheltered,.grounds ) tho only; time.these are nQt'Syailabie being, during the NoyombeKsftbw week. "■' 1f,.;0n. tho other hand, pne;,is not(a memb,cr of an auto-, mbbiloyasspciation, camp;-can be'.'.■pitched at several other places fairly handy. to.towhVorVat one or: other ?of; the ;sea-. side resorts. LARGE OPEN SPACES. Moio than any other city in Xew Zealand, Christchurch is a place of open spaces,, for the early settlors, with a foresight which was not shown by many of our'city "founders, set aside very large areas on the lines followed in England. 'llaglcy Park, the best known, is 500 acres in extent, and in its quiet beauty is typical of an English park. Christchurch is tho garden city of New Zealand, and wherever you drive in the suburbs you will find beautiful houses surrounded by charming gardens, "while the Botanical Gardens, with the finest •rqspngavdcn ,in ihe^Dominion, should-on-iro account be missed. Although the River Avon is often derided by the visitor on account of ats size it adds a charm to fhc town, and its well-kept banks aro covered with flowers and trees. Boats can bo hired and voyages made up-stream. . There arc some outstanding buildings in Christchurch, notably tho old Provincial Council'Chambers,. modelled on the lines;of-ancient'Oxford buildings, and-quito unique.in New Zealand, and the Cathedral, which is a' very handsome Gothic structure.-. The museum.m Ihe Botanical Gardens is the best m the Dominion. Tho Summit road,, along the tops of the Port .hills, gives a wonderful outlook over Canterbury and towards the "Southern- Alps,, and- although ', a steep clinibT/up, it should .certainly be seen. New .Brighton, Sumner, and tho delightful'trip ovcr-the hills to sleepy Jittlc Akaroa,' arc-three other journeys which., should i appeal' to most visitors before setting off southwards, while if something mpfo thrilling than motoring is dSsiredJ-a journey in one of the joyriding S'oekburn1 aeroplanes will be within the reach of most purses. THE ROAD SOUTHWARDS. It is true that the south road presents nothing that is spectacular and little that is outstanding in the way of natural beauty, but in the. rivers over which you pass excellent troutfishing is to be obtained, and if diversions be made from the main road, such places as Mt. Cook and Lako Tekapo can be visited. The Canterbury Plains country is one of the "best farmed and most prosperous cropping areas in the country, with the result that the small towi* through which the motorist passes possess attractions not generally found in places of the size. These towns are all situated within short distances of each other, and as all make provision J'pr the camping.motorist there will_ bo no difliculty in finding accommodation. Apart from the camping-places provided ; in the towns, there -are not a great many attractive camping-places along | this road, for throughout a great portion of the journey the motorist is passing through a land of small farms on which there is little shelter. The road ' throughout is good and clearly defined, the colour-marking system being generally adopted, but except during the harvesting season, when the whole countryside looks most, picturesque, there is nothing outstanding about the load. ,■ . PROGRESSIVE TIMARU. Ashb'urtbn,. some fifty miles from Christchurch,.is .the town of any size passed.through, Jand here there is an attractive ' 'motor-camping place. rrom'Ashb'urton the road-cuts inwards to Geraldinc,' from.which a road goes inland "to"-Fairlie, leading,to Mt. Cook and the Southern'lakes'. A very beautiful'run in this vicinity is l through thu Pel' forest,. ,tho. turn-off .being iv the, vicinity of .the-Bangitata bridge, here also "there, is a good" motor-camp_ amid Very pleasant surroundings. From* Geraldinc the Voad "runs on through "Winchester to Temuka which, although small, is a splendid little town with excellent accommodation for the motoristcamper, and attractions that merit at least a- short stay. Timaru is only a few miles past Tcmuko, half an hour's run or less, taking you to South Canterbury's loading town. .For its size T should think Timaru is the most progressive I own in New Zealand, and its beach, Caroline Bay, ranks equal with anything that can be offered elsewhere. _H is not very many years ago that this delightful beach was a bare ship of sand. To-day it has been beautified, buildings added, a children's playground constructed, and Hie spot generally made so attractive that in the summer hundreds of people from all over Canterbury go to Timaru with their children. "For a small charge motorists may camp in tho showgrounds and with this as their headquarters they will bo able to see the many interesting places with-

in striking.distance of 'Timaru. The town itseif !has an air of solid prosperity, .app'arcnt both in its fine public buildings'! and substantial homes, while from the.-recreation viewpoint it is ah ideal place, with excellent tennis courts, gplf links, , and bowling greens, while fishing and shooting are available with-in-a few miles.. • .The summer weather is usually settled, and the district is' noted for its sunshine.' It'will be seen that, some time spent in .this locality will indeed be'time.-well spent. It'is advisable to mention here, perhaps, that many of the local bodies in the Canterbury district collect revenue from passing motorists...who commit breaches of the by-laws; iii every case it is necessary, to adhere-strictly- to the limits imposed if- trouble is to be avoided; ON TO OAMARU. About twenty;' miles' past Timaru, a. deviation■ from the main road will take tho mptoiistto Waimate, and as this adds but'little to the journey, and at Waimate itself is an intorestiiig town, the diversion is worth while. A very largo .notice-board on the main road urges tlie traveller to "come to Waimatc," . ahd.it; was largely'owing to this, that "Trip" first visited this little town, which a has tho. distinction of having the only'large grain , elevator in New Zealand. It is, of course, unnecessary to,add that .Waimate is a. centre of a flourishing grain growing district, but it will surprise* many to know that the seven flourj mills, in the South Canterbury district turn out 25,000 tons, of flour a year,: and in this production Waimate plays.'no mean.part. i . ■ ; •There are three fine camping places ■within" handy .distance' of Waimate, one being right in the! borough, and motor-ist-campers are welcomed,: no ■: charge being madp 'except, for; tlie; use of gas rings and; cookers.-.; A' good run from Waimato. is to Keiey.'s bush, some five miles-from the town,■and if;the motorist wishes to stay and enjoy this delightful spot, a good camping place provides.him with the necessary ineen tiye. ■". ■.;.; j-.-.1. .... ■ '. ■ '„' A thirty mile run from Waimate will take the"''motorist to Oamaru, the principal town of North Otago. ;