HOLIDAY IN TARANAKI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19860, 2 February 1928, Page 8

HOLIDAY IN TARANAKI.

VARIETY OF ATTRACTIONS, MOUNTAIN AND BEACHES. PROVINCE 0/ GOOD ROADS. RECORD NUMBER OF VISITORS. ' : No. ni. As Taranaki's popular resort by the sea as the rendezvous of tourists, and as the, haven on the long, 'high road from Auckland to Wellington, New Plymouth baa broken all records this year, fi, may be that the unusually hot and dry summer together with the new Mokau Rridge have been to a big extent responsible tat the large influx of visitors, but the fact remains that New Plymouth noteis have seldom for so long a period been so full f and New Plymouth beaches have certainly never been gayer or more popular. Service cars have plied a busy trade, private cars have streamed steadily in from both north and south, and the energetic Tourist and Expansion League officials have been kept very busy. From the numerous questions asked tj these people who visit the Tourist League's office,, it seems that the three groat magnets which this year have brought people to New Plymouth from all over the Dominion are Mount Egmont, the remarkable and picturesque Pukekura Park amd the sea and its beaches. Popular With Australians. A prominent feature of this seal's tourist traffic is the large proportion of Australians, many of whom appear to be abandoning Tasmania in fa vour of a trip to New Zealand during the most uncomfortable part of the Australian summer, Although a number of tourists visit New Plymouth during the course of an organised tour, chiefly by service car, while others again come by train, the majority travel by private c»r, making a stay of & day or two eitbar at a public or private* camp site or in the hotels. The beaeh cottages at Moturoa, of which there are now a large number, have been continuously occupied since late in December, and the demand for them even at the present time greatly exceeds the supply. A great many inland people, boih from commercial and agricultural walks of life, are looking to New Plymouth as the plaat in which to spend their hoiidays, or elas the autumn of their lives. Many Visitors to Egmont. A very busy "season has been experienced at both tho North Egmont and Dawson's Falls hostels, iind a regular triweekly car service from New Plymouth to the North Egmont house has been in operation for some time.- The carrying into effect of extensive improvements v.t North Egmont, including the reforming, remetallings and tar-sealing of the iour miles track from the radius line to the hostelry and the provision of tennis courts and billiard rooms at the hostel, are increasing the popularity of the mountain trip. Not the least important advantage oi a visit to New Plymouth is its position the operating base from which people may travel along excellent motcr roads to numerous places of beauty and historic interest. Taranaki has long been faiued for its roads, and justly, too, all the world is a-wheel to-day, and it is a remarkable fact that of the 439 niiies of tar-sealed roads in New Zealand at the present time (this figure excludss streets in towns and cities) 309 are in the province ©1 Taranaki. For this reason alone Taranaki people are grateful to the enterprise of their own farming community, their raising of special loans, and their now do parted toll-gates, which made possible the 'long stretches of Tanmaki's tar-sealed bigUway.