CAR HOLIDAYS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 148, 20 December 1930, Page 11

CAR HOLIDAYS

» . . ■■ STATE OF THE ROADS AUTOMOBILE CLUB'S REPORT MAM AND SIDE ROUTES It is not until one sees a roael map showing the extent o£ good motoring roads in the Dominion that one realises how fortunate the motorist is, particularly at this time of year, when many side roads ar"e in quite passable condition. The Wellington Automobile Club is annually achieving more and more for its members, and its report on roads for Christmas, published below, though necessarily condensed, still covers a field wide enough to meet all the needs of Wellington motorists. MAIN TRUNK. Wellington-Levin,. Shannon to Palmerston North, 95% miles, good condition. Levin-Foxton to Palmerston North, 12 miles, fair—loose metal; beyond Foxton widening and reformation work proceeding; rough in places—care needed. Foxton to Bulls, 24 miles, loose metal FoxtonSanson, which varies constantly by the grader scraping into heaps. Bulls to Taihape, 62 miles, good metal road. Bulls to Wanganui, 27 miles, good order. Taihape •to Ohakune, 34 miles, good. Waiouru to Tokaanu, 45 miles, not metalled —rough in places and pot holes due to weather; chains needed in wet weather. Wanganui to Raetihi, via Parapara road, 55% miles, Parapara road is narrow and winding— needs careful driving. Kaetihi to National Park, 33 miles, good. / Side Roads. —Wangamii to Karioi, via Wangaehu, 6a miles. This roael is at present blocked with several slips. Tho Public Works have _at present several large gangs at work on the roaek which should be opened by Christinas. Wanganui A.A. signs at the top o£ Durie Hill, in Wanganui, Fordell Corner, and Karioi Corner, will indicate whether the road is opened or/closed. Hunterville to Tangiwai, via Turakina, 30 miles. There are some clay sections on this road which require chains in wet weather. The road, however, is in first-class order, and no trouble should be experienced with fine weather. Ohakune to Taumarunui, 01% miles, good to National Park, thereafter rough and potholey. Taumarunui to Te Kuiti, 63 miles, rough and pot-holey. Te Kuiti to Hamilton, 50 miles, good. Hamilton-Mercer to Pokeno, 47% miles. The Bombay Deviation not available for traffic. Travel Main load • Bazorback Hills—steep grades. Hamilton to Kaglan, 30 miles, metalled load; ascent 650 feet half-way. Te Awa- . mutu to Kawhia (side road), 44 miles, metallecl. Pokeno to Thames, 41% miles, good metal road. Thames to Auckland, 75 miles, good. Pokeno to Auckland, 31% miles, good order at all times—2o miles concrete. VIA TARANAKI. Wanganui to New Plymouth, 102 miles, good surface. New Plymouth to Te Kuiti, 111% miles, good. Side Roads.—Stratford to Taumarunui, via Tangarakau Gorge, 99% miles, not advisable in wet weather; carry chains, jnglewood - Kaimata - Purangi - Whangamomona road, not recommended at any time. Napier to Taupo, 103 miles. Surface in good order throughout, metalled roads to Tarawera, the grader being kept in constant use over pumice portion between Tarawera and Taupo. Taupo to Waimarino, 72 miles, fair. Between Tokaanu to Chateau-Waimarino, narrow in parts, surface generally good owing to use of grader. Taupo to Rotorua, 56 miles, at present being widened and straightened. Surface good, due to grader. Rotorua to Whakatane, 57 miles, good order, metal and pumice road. Taupo to Atiamuri to Hamilton, 99 miles; pumice most of the way—kept in good order by grader. Rotorua to Hamilton, via Tirau, 69 miles, good. Rotorua to Tauranga, 57 miles, fair—lately graded. ' AVkakataue to Gisborne, 13S miles, good order. t NORTH AUCKLAND. . Auckland to Helensville, via Waiwera, 61 miles, uurnetalled section between Waiwera and Helensville. Auckland to Helensville, via Henderson, 38 miles, good. Auckland to Dargaville, 118 miles, via Helensville, Waiwera, Wavkworth, Wellsford, Maungaturoto, Paparo, Ruawai, Dargaville; Warkworth-Domo Valley, clay surface. Dargaville to Whangarei, 37% miles, metalled —undulating. Whangarei to Kaikohe, 55% miles, metalleel—level and undulating. Whangarei to Russell, 50 miles, via Whakapara—side road to Huruiki 6 miles, Hena 'Bay 12, and Russell 34 miles. Passable at present. This road has a two mile unmetalled gap, which is expected to be complete by Christmas, 1930. Kaikohe to Kaitaia, 55 miles, metalled. Best Route North from Auckland. — Perry to Birkenhead and travel via Waiwera, Warkworth, Wellsford, Maungaturoto, and thence to Waipu and Whangarei, or to Dargaville, via Ruawai. All other routes in good order with the exception of the Broadwood-Herekino sections. EAST COAST AND TAUPO. Wellington to Masterton to Napier, 213 miles, good order. 'Side Roads.—Wairarapa side roads, from Featherston to Lake Ferry and Western Lakes' roads, good order. Palmerston to ' Woodville, 17% miles, nil tar sealed. Palmerston to Feilding, 13 miles, good condition. Napier to Wairoa, 80% miles, metalled. Road being straightened and widened up the Tangoio Hill. Via Morere to Gisborne, 66% miles, metalled, mountainous in central sections; tar scaled over top of Wharerata Hill. Wairoa to Gisborne, via Tiniroto, 67 miles, unmetalled section south of Tiniroto; carry chains; rest metalled. Napier to Taihape, side road, 99 miles, narrow and hilly. In good order, but chains are needed after wet weather. Wairoa to Waikaremoana to Rotorua, 150 miles. The first 2 miles from Lake House to Aniwaniwa is metalled, the next portion to Mokau, 9 miles, being unmetalled, becomes very bad in wet weather, and drivers not accustomed to wet or greasy surface conditions are advised not to take this rout without first telephoning Lake House to ascertain the weather conditions. Two clear days of fine weather is sufficient to ensure a safe passage, although the road surface will prove rough, owing to deep ruts. Beyond Mokau, the road is greasy in places in wet weather, but can be negotiated by a driver o£ experience. From Ruatahune, the road to Rotorua is the usual pumice formation. This route needs careful driving, and is not advisable for those unfamiliar with narrow, windiDg roads. Steep drops and unmetalled surfaces. Not advisable in wet weather. SOUTH ISLAND. Nelson and Blenheim. —The main road between Nelson and Blenheim has been much improved, particularly on the Wangamoa, which is now a perfectly safe road for any kind of traffic at all. Buller Gorge.—Motorists aro informed that the old main road between Murchisou and InaTigahua Juuction, via Lyell, which was interrupted by the earthquake of June, 1929, is now restored and again open for traffic. The longer journey necessitated by the detour, via the Maruia Valley and Ree±fton, is now avoielable, and travellers can proceed from Murchison direct to Westport or Greymouth, via Inangahua Junction, or vice versa. The only reservation is that if there is much wet weather the Buller Gorge road may be blocked now and again by minor slips. In any ease this is nothing to hold tourists up, as the road via Maruia Valley, which is only 20 miles longer to Reetton, is permanently open and is in splendid order, while the scenery on it is equal to that of the old Buller road. Of course, for anyone wishing to roach Westport the extra distance is considerably more, as it is necessary to come from Reefton to Inangahua Junction. A very fine round is now available for the first time, viz., from Nelson to Westport by the Buller Gorge road, which takes in the best part of the Buller Gorge between Inangahua Junction and Westport, anel thence by the new coastal road from Westport to Greymonth. ■ The bridge over the Fox River, which lias been the only obstacle, is now practically completed, but in any case arrangements have been made for traffic to cross the bridge in case of the river being up, so that to ajl intents and purposes the

river is now bridged.. It is a magnificent run, and is a very pleasing' alternative to coming back to Inangahua Junction and then the more or less uninteresting road from Reefton to Greymouth. Tourists can always obtain information as regards the old Buller Gorge by inquiring at Murchison or Inangahua Junction. If it is blocked, they can then travel to or from the Coast via Maniia. Nelson to Glaciers. —Nelson to Greymouth by the old Buller road at present in good order, but subject to slips, 187 miles. Nelson to Greymouth by the, deviation: Nelson to Murchison, S4 miles; Murchison, MAruia, Reefton, 79 miles: Reefton to Greymouth, 4S miles; 211 miles. Greymouth to Hokitikn, 33 miles; llokitika to Glaciers-Waiho, 1)4 miles.