THE ROTORUA ROAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19503, 6 December 1926, Page 12

THE ROTORUA ROAD.

WORK ON MAMAKU HILLS. PREPARING FOR HOLIDAYS. It is hoped to have the Mamaku Hills Road, now under reconstruction, ready for the Christmas holiday traffic to and from Rotorua, The Auckland Automobile Association's service officer, Mr. R. E. Champtaioup. accompanied by Mr! Hall Jones, resident engineer of the Public Works Department, and a party of association members, inspected the road yesterday, and found that for 11| miles on the Auckland side of the summit the road had been completely covered with rhyolite, preparatory to metalling, except for one mile of new formation. This stretch has hardened in the recent fine weather. Extra lomes will be put on to-day in an endeavour to complete the covering before the Christmas traffic begins. However, if long spells of wet weather are experienced it is very doubtful if the work can be finished in time. The contractors are working 12-hour shifts with this object. On the Rotorua side of Steel's mill the worst patches have been covered with rhyolite. From Ngongotaha to Rotorua there is a beautiful shingle road. The alternative route to Rotorua by Putaruru and Atiamuri is at present quite dry, but between the six-mile and ninemile pegs from Rotorua there are several places which would give considerable trouble in wet weather. Graders are at work, and where they have evened the surface the road is good. The party also visited the Urewera Country, going four miles past Ruatahuna, to the end of the road, the last 18 miles of which are through practically virgin bush. The . road surface was found to be in fair order. The South Road from Auckland /to Hamilton is steadily improving, especially near Huntly.