A VENTURESOME MOTOR JOURNEY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 30 September 1907, Page 4

A VENTURESOME MOTOR JOURNEY.

A DEVICE FOR "PORRIDGY" ROADS.

[United Press Association.]

GISBORNE, Friday. Mr Walter Grace left Gisborno this afternoon overland for Wairoa by motor, Mr S. Grace accompanying him. As the road at present is impassable for motors with the usual equipment, Mr Grace has adopted a device which he feels certain will enable him to overcome the difficulties to be encountered. He has attached to the car on either side a pair of planks hinged together They are doubled up in V shape and ordinarily serve the purpose 01 mud guards. But when a bad bit of road has to be encountered the guards are unshipped and used as a bridge for the motor car wheels to run on. As each plank is 10 feet long a good length can be covered in that way, and the planks run on in front for any length. All attempts to dissuade Mr Grace from makuig the journey at present have failed, although he has been informed that beyond Waerengaokiiri there is one length of "porridgy" road extending for 2^ milos, nild another length further on extending for li miles, making four miles of sticky mud that cannot be avoided. The destination to-night is Waerengaokiin, and on the way to Wairoa Mr and .Mrs firai-o intericl visitirig the Mnrumaru enves. Mr Grace has toured over nearly the whole of New Zealand. Ten years ago lie cycled through from Gisborne to Wairoa. He says that he got the first motor car to Lake Wakatipu, negotiating sandy patches with the use of cocoanut matting. Mrs Grace assisting him in getting the car over the bad places.