BY MOTOR CAR TO OPOTIKI.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13311, 21 February 1914, Page 5

BY MOTOR CAR TO OPOTIKI.

"MOST DANGEROUS JOURNEY IN THE DOMINION."

For i_ome months past several local motorists have been waiting- the opportunity to essay the journey from Motu to Opotiki. Whilst tlie road has been sufficiently open to enable a coach service to be initiated a few weeks ago, the dangerous nature of the narrow ledire carved out high on the precipitous lull sides, , and... the. frequency of slips completely blocking the >yay, has tip till now precluded, even the most venture.some. Yesterday, However, as briefly reported m our 1 last issue, Mr Charles Buscke gained the distinction' of driving the first motor car across this mountainous road. • Telegraphic advice of the success of the journey only reached town yesterday afternoon, and his friends were .surprised to see Mr Buscke back m town. .. BLOCKED BY SLIPS. .With a. view to gathering some information , for the guidance -of other .motorists T Buscke was seen by a Herald representative this morning. He said he left Gisborne on Wednesday afternoon for Motu, having .business at Toatoa. He ascertained that there were about 30 men employed on the road, and they had instructions to have the road clear on Wednesday to permit the 'coach' to ,<ret through. Some doubt was expressed as to the feasibility of taking the motor to Toatoa, which is about half-way between Motu and Opotiki, but the Gisbornite essayed to take his car as far as possible. About teii miles from Motu it was found that the road workers had brought down a slip to widen a narrow 1 part and the track was completely blocked. There were half-a--dozen men m the gang, and they expressed the opinion it would be quite impossible to- proceed. However, by dint of some strenuous pick and shovel work m which motorists and all joined, a sufficient track- was made over the debris. There, was a sheer rQck, cliff above, and below, and .the track . was covered, with loose rubble rock.. There was no chance of driving the! car over, so. all 'liaiids put 'their shoulders to the wheels and shoved. ., To have skidded on the loose "rock "would have precipitated the car over the precipice,, and &s it was the vehicle tilted to a dangerous angle*. It wa. held back, however, with crowbars and eventually safely negotiated the dangerous spot. This was at a point just past Christophers'. Five niiles on the Motu side of Toatoa there was another slip let dowii and again the gang turned to and helped the motor- fi istis over. The road, such as it is, was so narrow m places that the party bad to get out to measure if there* 'was sufficient -"room to get by, and m hugging t|i6- -bank .the covering 'df the! hood was ripped by the rock, whilst the side ot the car was also scratched. -The' party reached Toatoa by lunch time. ;..•■ >"HAIR. PIN" BENDS.' At Toatoa there is an excellent cheese factory, and being desirous of making ljimself acquainted with the' ' access, which .existed with Opotiki, Mr Buscke proceeded on to ihtft place. He found it & good road, but narrow, and only an hour And a quarter',- run from Toa. toa. In .i&cp .there were .several "hairpin", bends, one m particular, which was the • sharpest Mr* Buscke- declares he] has met with m his motoring experience. Had it not been for the Temarkably good "lock" of the Overland car,; and the satisfactory condition' of the brakes, they would certainly have shot oyer the bank: There were twelve river .crossings to negotiate and the motorists w,ere assured .that but for the exceptionally, dry: season they would ncyc£ .have ,-^ot along. However,, they wcjre informed that deviation is to be made tint will av<oid these. The Maoriwere greatly excited at the ' advent of the. motor car. and even one of the road makers was so excited when the car showed its nose . round a sharp "corner that ho dropped his shovel and ran. Opotiki was reached about 3.30 p.m; Thursday, and the rest of the afternoon W.r.s epeiit oil a run to Hr Hutchinson's and ... visit to Ohiwa harbor. Mr Buscke. was informed at Toatoa that no car bad ever been seen m that locality before. The motorists left Opotiki at 7 o'clock yesterday on the return journey, and although they spent about an hour on the road, M_ Buscke, was back in«,Gis. bprne at about 2.45_J>-m-. He wap accompanied •i by Mr : beVt , .Brown, of GUborne, , whilst Mr .Murray, of ,Motu, also joined the party |tf- Motu..'..* . ' „. A WOR_> OiP WARNING.

, As' regards the Toad,. Mr Buscke says h^ nvould lil_e to give a word, of warning to other- motorists who. may be thinking o^ .taking on tlie tijii). He frankly confesses that it is the most dangerous trip \\\ _S T ew Zealand, and he would pot take it. ,011 again, except m case ■ ui'gent business. It was not an ordinary run, and he would .certainty not recommend anyone' taking it^on as the r<_j4 is at present, for pleasure. It was very tryin*? on tho nerves; m the event of rain wn3 hopeless. .: The .surface is of rubble rock and rather hard on the tyres until worn down, but the frail . crumbling ", e^ges which have been built ,up haye .to- be most" carefully watched. Motorists should .satisfy themselves .that, their car pos6essed .a, sufficiently wide "lc«ck," and it-, was absolutely iiecessary tliat "theii** bi'Akes should be m -pej'fect working oyfler and hard set. vr , -c