MOTORING TRIPS

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 November 1926, Page 6

MOTORING TRIPS

ENGLISH CAR’S TRIUMPH. (Special to “Star.”) CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 25. While in England recently, Mr Keith Hadfield bought two English cars, one powerful machine and the other a nine horse power car. His principal object in purchasing the smaller car was to test its capabilities under New Zealand conditions. Mr and Mrs Hadfield returned this week from a 700 miles tour of the West Coast. Mr Hadfield speaks very highly and in appreciative terms of the performance of the small car. The ■whole distance was accomplished under bad conditions in perfect style, no trouble of any sort, engine or otherwise, being experienced. Many roads on the Coast were blocked. The southern route, Greymouth, . Hokitika and the. Waiho Gorge, was taken. “All the creeks were fairly full of water. The car put up a marvellous performance on second gear,” said Mr Hadfield, in an interview last evening. “I have been motoring for 15 years, and think it remarkable that a car, built for English travelling, can put up such a fine record under New Zealand conditions. Of all parts of motorable New Zealand, I think the West Coast the most charming, on account of the wonderful scenery. At the present time, the roads are very bad, but in time they will improve. Near Reefton, a roadman and two assistants were putting riverbed shingle on the roads. The large stones were raked off, resulting in a splendid surface, upon which the car can do 40 miles per hour, holding the road with ease. The road from Greymouth to Otira is being graded, but is still bad. The road to Arthur’s Pass is in poor condition. The road to Westport is similar, owing to recent heavy floods.” Hadfield considers it would be unwise for motorists to risk the road to Greymouth over Larry’s Creek at present, as it is in a dangerous condition. One of the best drives he had ever taken is that from Greymouth to Punakaiki. The surface is good, and the road follows the sea coast all the way making it a magnificent run.