MOTOR HIGHWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18334, 26 February 1923, Page 8

MOTOR HIGHWAYS.

.- —»_—4> i AUCKLAND TO ROTORUA. REPAIRING WEAK LINKS. RANGIRIRI AND PUTARURU. IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND. [BY TK.EGPAPII. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] PUTARURU, Saturday. The motor tourist traffic this season from Auckland &nd the Waikato to' the thermal districts has proved very heavy since the beginning of December. The present volume of traffic has not been equalled since the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales to Rotorua. Most of the cars now use the route via Putaruru and Atiamuri in preference to that over the Mamaku Hill. This is due to the recent provision of a bridge over the Kopokorahi Stream near Atiamuri, whore there was previously a ford that constituted a difficult obstacle for motorists. The Atiamuri route to Rotorua is considerably longer than that via Mamaku, but has the advantage of being passable in wet weather, a claim that cannot be made for the hill road. The Atiamuri Road is, of course, the direct route to Wairakei and Taupo. It is noteworthy that works at present in hand or. projected will enable the bringing of the whole length of the road from Auckland to Rotorua into the category of passable motor highways, available for general use in all weathers. . • ... Auckland to Putaruru.

On the first section the improvements ton the notorious Rangiriri Hills Road are now well in hand. This will give a fair motor road on the long stretch from the city to the Upper Waikato, approaching Putaruru, a distance of abcnt 130 miles. On each side of Putaruru at present for two or throe miles the earth road becomes somewhat muddy for motoring during the Winter months, though, with the aid of chains, cars hava never at any time found the route anything but reasonably negotiable. However, this obstacle will probably soon be a thing of the past, for a poll of ratepayers is to be held on March 1 next on a loan proposal to raise £10,000 for road metalling in this district. The scheme includes the lengths of earth road mentioned and those debouching on to the pumice road across the Tokoroa Plain to the Kopokorahi Stream. Thence the Mangaiti Hill was to be traversed before reaching Atiamurl. The road at this point is steep and narrow in places with sharp bends. But this is to be changed, the Public Works Department having in hand the construction of a level deviation round the hill that will, in effect, ha a continuation of the splendid pumice roadway through the Tokoroa Plains. Botorna and Beyond. The final length, from Atiamuri to Rotorua, provides fairly comfortable travelling, though it is somewhat heavy with sand in parts. This minor fault is being remedied by improvement work from year to year. . . Once at Rotorua,the motorist will nave open to him for further travelling, if he so desire!!, the mail'routes into the Bay of Plenty. When the improvements mentioned have been completed' on the Auck-land-Rotorua stretch, the Auckland Province will be the proud possessor of a first-class motor highway from Auckland to Opotiki, a total of 300 miles. The route beyond Atiamuri* via Wairakei and Taupo, to Napier, has also seen much tourist traffic this year, the road being reported in good order. During the Christmas season it was not an uncommon sight to see as many as 80 to 100 caw parked in front of the Wairakei Hotel, and the total tally of all the tourist cars that have visited the thermal districts in the last two months from the Waikato and Auckland, the Bay of Plenty -and Hawke's Bay. must run well into four figures. ' . ■ ' ■■ .