COMING TOURIST ROAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18838, 13 October 1924, Page 8

COMING TOURIST ROAD.

AUCKLAND TO TARANAKV.

THE TE KUITI ROUTE.

" GREAT POSSIBILITIES."

That the Auckland-New Plymouth journey via Te Kuiti is destined to become otiff of the principal touristy routes in the Dominion was the opinion expressed by Mr. A. E. Wilson, Government tourist agent at Auckland, 'in an interview at New Plymouth last Friday. Mr. Wilson is about to complete a rapid survey of the leading tourist routes throughout the Dominion. "It is a great trip," said Mr. Wilson, " and it will become the principal route if the present roading difficulty is permanently overcome. It is that stretch of 14 miles between Awakino and Tongaporutu which frightens tourists from making the trip except in the dry weather." He had jurats arrived from Auckland, he said, and tha journey was pleasant until the car reached Awakino, where a change was mside to the horse coaches. Then followed a utretch of road which was in a shocking condition. When that piece of road was completed, a continual stream of tourist traffic between Auckland and New Plymouth would be assured. I'Ar. Wilson declared it to be a wonderful route and on its development great possibilities hinged. New Plymouth at the preisent time was considered a dead tnd, and travellers from Auckland via the Main Trunk were very loth to change at Marton, come to New Plymouth, and return over the same ground. When the Te Kuiti route was opened up there were countless attractions along the whole journey and connection could be made with Wellington without travelling over any part of the route a second time. It would be probably another 12 months before the roading difficulty was surmounted, continued Mr. Wilson, and it would then be time enough to consider the development of attractions closely associated with the main route. Accommodation at the resorts would have ) to be improved and increased. Speaking on the attractions at the Mokau, Mr. Wilson said t'hat being on a flying visit, he did not have the time at his disposal to take a trip up the river, but from what he saw of it he considered it would shortly become even more popular than the Wanganui. Mr. Wilson was also impressed with the portion of his journey which led over Mount Messenger. "Although the mountain is of no great height, its scenery, is beautiful and wholly devoid of monotony," he said.