MOTORING IN UREWERA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 15 December 1926, Page 9

MOTORING IN UREWERA.

AN i:xEXPLOITED RESORT ROUTE OE SCENIC SPLENDOUR. The potentialities of the LTewera Country a* a motor touring resort were investigated during the week-end by a party of members of the Auckland Automobile Association. The trip was made with a view to ascertaining whether the roads could be advised for the average tourist. The locality has been religiously shunned by motorists through ignorance of the access and attractions. The party penetrated into the littleknown territory until the road became a mere horse-track. The entire trip and return to Auckland embraced just i under 500 miles, and Mr. Champtaloup i was so impressed with its scenic and | historical features that arrangements I wcic made for the erection of A.A.A. I signposts and an itinerary at the in-1 formation bureau. Mr. Champtaloup states that motorists need ha\e no trepidation in touring in this interesting country. The end of the formed road is about 75 ‘ miles from Rotorua, and the surface is generally very lair. Where the i pumice sand does not provide a good] surface, the road is liberally covered] with river shingle and gravel. The | route into the Urewcra. Country: branches from the Uotorua-Taupo Hoad about 18 miles from Rotorua. From here through Muripara to Tc Wbaiti the road is frequently travelled by anglers bound for the Rangitaiki and Wliirinaki Rivers. The real scenic beauties of the district are] more remote, and only tourist* who: venture a-s far as Rautahuna see the; best of this supposedly inaccessible ter-; ritory. Beautiful Native Bush. After leaving the Government forests j near 1 Rotorua, the road leads on to the! Kalugarou Plains, and seems to con-! tinue without end towards distant | mountains. There is no sign of water on this sandy waste, but more pleasant' country is met with when the road falls ( for seven miles to the Muripara ac-] commodation house. From here the I route lead* into a sheer hill, finding an opening in a valley which is hidden from the approach.

An uphill dim 13 and a descent bring the motorist to a. tributary of the Wliirinaki River, and beautiful native bush *is passed until Te Whaiti is found in a cleared valley. The village repays inspection, and the vicinity abounds in historic interest and relics of the Maori War. The carved Maori meet-ing-house i* a picturesque work of which the tou.ri*t will find few parallels. Above the accommodation house are the pits and stockades in which Te Kooti made a resolute stand against the British troops.

The next section of the journey opens up native hush scenery against which the famed Mount Messenger and Motu Gorge “seem colourless. The hush has not suffered at the hands of civilisation, and contains shrubs and ferns which, are a rnritv in the most exploited areas. A road with a good metal surface wind- through hills clad with native hush, enhanced by luxuriant festoons of red flowers It descends through country equally beautiful and skirts a tributary of the Whnkatane River. The only touch of artificiality is the strati go contrast ok&re-d by the remarkably well-gravelled road

AN AGED MAORI WARRIOR. After passing through miles of uninhabited bush, the traveller runs into a little clearing where a two-roomed whare stands in a cluster of fruit trees. In it lives Paitini, one of Te Kooti’s trusted lieutenants, whose years have passed the century. To the visitor who Hatter* his vanity he will exhibit al bullet-riddled overcoat which he claim*! was a gift from the warrior chief. To! the old man it is “tapu,” and the infidel European hands must not touch it.' The interesting journey becomes even more intriguing when Ruatahuna is reached a few miles further on. The road comes to an end after another four miles, and a walk of two mile* brings the visitor to a large Maori settlement. Severalv days could be spent in probing the locality. Within twelve miles lies the stronghold of the prophet Rua. From the end of the road a track leads to Lake Waikaremoana. Since £2OOO has been allocated lor road extensions in this vicinity, it is probable that another four or five miles will be open for traffic before the end of next year. The trip offers much to the sportsman. Pheasants, rabbit*, hares and quail venture on the roadside, and the hash conceals wild pigs and cattle. On the Kaingaroa Plains wild horses are frequently encountered.