TANGARAKAU GORGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18334, 26 February 1923, Page 5

TANGARAKAU GORGE.

,-..',.. .. . .1. ■; : .'■'■• .-.. : .-, ■.';-•' t, ■■■■■. ■-** Sir,—ln the Herald of the 16th insi. there appeared* an account of a motorcycle trip through the Tangarakau. Gorge, where it is stated that " the road is in parts so little used that it is overgrown with ! gorge and fern," and further that the . track is so narrow ! that the outer wheel of the side-car hung over the edge of a precipice. This, is ; such an ~~ extraordinary distortion of facts that I cannot let the matter pass without ; protest. ; '{: I have been going through the gorge and back three or four times a" year with my car for the past five years ';■ during the summer months. The stock; agents :at Stratford go through once or twice nearly every month in the year' and I.am safe in• saying that at least half-a-dozen • cars go • through every week for at least five .months in the year. The; road is good in the dry weather, but, of course, Tike all unmetalled • roads, impassable \J in wet weather. It is a well-formed rod good graded ' road, plenty of room to ; pass other cars in most places, runs well down to the river nearly all the way, and there are no . dangerous precipices. With the ,, statement that the scenery :i& magnificent I am in complete agreement. It is in my opinion one of the finest bits of scenery, in -the Dominion. • On the north end of the gorge an enterprising and bonny. English bride has opened v a refreshment booth for gorge travellers. Anyone looking "for a" good trip through, the centre of the island cannot' do better than run through this gorge to Stratford and back,' either through the Waitewhenua Valley or the Mokau-Ohura road, via Matiere and Ohura. With good weather people would be hard to please if they did not enjoy : the journey. •-- - ■ - '••• <„- : Owen C. Pwsasamtw.. Matiere, Feb. 20, 1923. ; ; I '';