ROAD TO WAIKAREMOANA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17185, 8 November 1926, Page 8

ROAD TO WAIKAREMOANA

THROUGH THE UREWF.RA 26 MILES OF NEW ROAD In a week or two the second traffic bridge over the Waimana River, 15 miles south of the township, will be open, and this will give a 26-mile run. for motor-ears along the new road which is to open up the, Waikaremoana Laky district and connect the Bay of Plenty i with Hawke's Bay. Beyond the 26-mile peg, there has been formed 13 miles of a six-foot track j to Maungapohatu, and from this point j to the: lake there is about 15 miles still to form. The difficult country and all the large bridges have been dealt with, the balance of the route being through easy soil with no streams of any size. The survey, which is now completed, shows the distance to bo 94 miles shorter by this road than by any other, while the grades are easy. The scenery is similar to the famous Motn route, but has in addition numerous waterfalls and many fine lakes along the route, ft is also' the sportsman's paradise, being well stocked with rainbow trout, red deer, opossums, wild cattle, pigs, etc. For many miles along the upper part of this road, there stand large quantities of tawhai and tooth-leafed beech, some of the trees being sft. in diameter and 50ft. to the first' branch. This timber is known to bnshmen as black-birch or sometimes red birch. The heart timber has been known to Inst 40 years in the ground, and specimens of inmaturc trees, which came down to Waimana in floods, have lasted 22 years as posts and strainers. When the road is finished there will bo a large supply of timber available for transmission poles, which will be superior to the imported, while the Wages paid for converting the same will be kept in. the Dominion.—Opotiki Guardian.