MOTOR NOTES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16828, 15 December 1928, Page 9

MOTOR NOTES

WITH TEXT AND MOTOR. II 'HIE CO ROMA XITEL PENINSULA. A LITTLE-KNOWN BEAUTY SPOT. By “Trip.” (All Rights ’Reserved.) New Zealand’s seonie resorts arc principally of two kinds. They are either easily accessible and very popular. or they are isolated and less widely known. Within the latter category falls the Coromandel Peninsula which, with its long white-sand beaches, its brilliant, pohntnkawas, and its outlook over the ilnnraki git if, i.- bin* of those quietly beautiful places which offers so much to the visitor. During recent years, with the great increase in nut torcamping. it has become steadily morepopular, but I lie stream id’ traffic is mainly from Auckland, and few of come from the south realise how diversified are the attractions along this route, whie.li first passes through the prosperous Waikato dairying country, and then through a goldmining area which has made history. Probably the best known gold-mine in the world is the Waihi mine, which lias consistently, over a very great many years, won dividends for its fortunate shareholders. Many of the old diggings towns are mere skeletons of their former selves, and to-dav Thames is but a. sleepy little* town with ahotel on every corner, but the visitor who gels off flic beaten track, can still set* gold being won. EASTWARDS FROM HAMILTON 'fire rriad from Hamilton runs eastwards. i In* first, place of any size being Morrinsville, centre of dairying, and surrounded by well-farmed small holdings. Emm .Morrinsville, Iwo routes are. possible, one of which would be available only in good weather. The main road, which is of course always passable, runs on through Waitoa and To Aroha, but if the visitor is anxious to make a rmfnll trip he etui cut across country through Kerepeehi, striking the main midi again some miles from iPaeroa. This eou'nlt'y is not. particularly inferoslhig, but it gives one the opporlunity of seeing Ihe work of swamp reclamation in full swing. The road, a clay one which gels badly cut up after rain, runs out through swamp i country—desolate fern and manuka ! land, until it is 'taken in hand and I manured. Fufflier along the road, where the reclamation has been comiploted, sntiling 'farms greet the eye, and it is possible to see something of flic 'effect of reclaiming the swamp land. Difficulties are still experienced after rain, the farms all being on lowlying land, blit thousands df fertile acres have been added to I lie dairying land of the district. THE TE AROHA .SPRINGS. Tin* main road, and the one which will bo followed by the majority of motorists, runs out to Waitoa, where there is the. largest dried milk plant in New Zealand. This factory, which now turns out. well over .'IOOO tons of dried milk a year, is owned b.v the New Zealand <'o-nperative Dairy On., a concern which has favtories dotted 1 throughout the-whole df the 'Waikato area. Milk drying is a, most complicated process-, and the product ion of. milk on the farms has to be carefully ’ watched, as only ihe finest possible qb'tility can be used. Special permission has to be obtaitiod to go through;the plant, but to those interested it is an absolute, education. Waitoa is but a few miles from To Aroha, one of our lessor known spas, where hot mineral springs, and cold springs may be found within a few yards of each other. A camping ground is provided at Te Aroha, and in addition there are -places Within easy, reach of the town where'camp can be pitched. Many fine walks can bo made up the stoop mountain which.-' rises sheer behind the little township; and flte river provides excellent boating and dishing, so that a few days can he well spent in this vicinity. Everyone tries the Te Aroha waters, but most people do not like them, the general taste being that df hot water in which an excessive quantity of baking soda has been dissolved. They possess excellent curative properties, however, and invalids come from far ahd'near to drink the Te Alpha waters.

GOLD MINING COUNTRY. From To Aroha onwards for 'tho thirty mi Ids to Timm os, the motorist | is passing; throng'll tho gold Holt, and at various points along tho road it is still possible to she mining operations in full swing. The road runs 'out through Paoroa, Hikutaia and a number of other small towns, going mostly through farming country, and eventually reaching Thames —a typical straggly gold - mining town, living largely on the glories of the past. Thames was once Supposed to have over a hundred hotels, and judging by I the number of empty structures along ; every street one can well believe it. I For the size of the place 'there are still a groat many, but few make any pretence of ‘catering for the tourist traffic.

When the tide is In, Thames looks quite picturesque, but When the tide is out, and tho whole estuary of mud exposed to view, it is far from it. There Is nothing of beauty about the town itself and the motorist-camper will be well adviScd to push on a few miles past ’the town, arid camp by otto of the beautiful benefit's which skirt the coast, between Thames and COromandel. If one is interested in gold mining, it is still' possible, this beingcarried out in the vicinity of Thames. TIIE COHOMA NDE L V ENI NS IJLA. When the pohntukawas are in bloom there are fCw coastal runs as' beautiful as that from Thorites to Coromandel, which skirls the coast, then runs over one or two steep hills, and strikes the coast again. White sandy beaches fringed everywhere with the pollutukawn, stretch out along the road, and Vamp can be pitched in se-

eluded spots and the open ail- life fol lowed to the heart’s content.

Another feature of special interest; along this road, is the mangrove swamps, these being reminiscent of 1 the tropical swamps with Which the mangrove is usually associated. Many' who have seen these weird trees for the first time have found it impossible to believe that they were actually the same as the mangrove of tropical fame, and this is one of the few places in New Zealand in which they occur.

Coromandel itself is another of the nondescript towns of the mining area, and has little to recommend it; except that it: can be made a centre from which a number'of very interesting journeys can be made. Camp can be pitched close to (lie town, or further out amidst the bush. From Coromandel several interesting launch trips can be made to points from which the lmsh-clad ranges beyond the town,' can be climbed, and the opportunity should also be taken while here to run across to Mercury Bay, which provides, further vistas of rugged scenery, and more still' climbs lor the mountaineer-! ing enthusiast. All down this area the visitor sees scenery of a type that is found in few places in New Zealand, and it is undoubtedly a fact that one of the reasons why touring ,in the -Dominion is of never-ending interest, is this very diversity, -Which means that wherever one goes, one sites something new and fresh. The sleep Inishclad hills rising sheer above the bluest of seas, the vista of the Hauraki gulf doited here and there with dainty islets, and the panorama of the pohtt-tukawa-lined beaches, all make this .journey an ideal one for the Summer vacation. THE ROAD TO ROTORUA. NOW OPEN IN A El, WEATHER. Since the publication of t'ho article! dealing with the road from Hamilton to Rotorua, ‘'Trip" has received numerous Jotters pointing out that the Mamukti hill no longer presents any difficulty tti tin* 'motorist, as it hasbeen metalled and bifuitteniseil. This moans that the main Hafnilton-.Rotdrua road is now an all-weather 'mid, and no diversion will be necessary at any time.

Jn this connection it is only fair to the people of the Rotorua district to state that it was largely due to thenown, efforts in finding the money, that; the'work has been completed, regrets the error, which Was due to tiny fact that he hail not been over the road' for some eighteen 'months, and -was' wrongly informed that no improvement had as yet been effected, FREE-WHEEL ADOPTED BY AMERICA. A “HUSH-HUSH ” CAR. There will be presented to ihe motor public, of America, at the New York motor show early in January, a car which is claimed to be “new in every 'respect and from every angle.” For' trade reasons the name of .its uiunu- ! faeiiu-er cannot be divulged at; this' time, but it will be produced by a firm bf v automobile, manufacturers well known in the United States. Hi is designed as a high-grade carriage with a ‘four (forward) speed gear-box with unusually quiet gears on both third and lop speed. The gearchanging, it is slated, is as smooth as velvet, permitting the shifting, of gears smoothly at any speed. * Moreover, this new ear will be equipped with one of the greatest mechani-

cal necessities installed on an American motor-car within the last ten years. This is an automatic device which, even without the brakes being applied, will not permit the car to roll backwards when the car stops on all incline or hill. There is full freedoib of the reverse gear notwithstanding. The desirability of this device in hilly cities to meet the “stop"’and. “go” signs of traffic-control officers, and for mountain driving, is obvious. It is expected that women drivers will enthusiastically welcome this “spvag. ”

NEW ENGLISH MODELS. According to reports from England, 'the .1920 models of British cars wilt embody many interesting- improved features. It is anticipated that frontwheel driven ears will‘be more in evidence, also that there will be further advancement made in tin l small type of machine. In England, France and Germany, developments . are being pushed on with baby ears and it is interesting to note that the probabilities are that more than one firm may lit superchal-gors, to obtain even better .performance from these little engines. There is a distinct tendency to build chassis eveh lower, arid some of the 'new cars will lie almost as low as the racing cars of a year ago. Sports types of cars promise to lie more popular than ever, with 4, (1 and even 8cVlinder engines. Another interesting feature is.that tho high-reving ‘sports’ engine is to be used in many of the normal touring cars, whilst even more powerful types of engines are to be installed in the new sports models. The advance is definitely attributable to lessons learned from long distance racing on the road. It is significant of the reliability of modern cars that most makers will base their appeal to the public for 1929 upon improved appearance, better brakes, easier gear changes, smoother 'clutches, ami quieter gears. The purchaser may expect a smarter car, better coach work, more room where room is wanted, greater convenience and increased safeguarding when the car is on the road. AUTOMOBILE BAGGAGE CAL'. NEW YOUFv—“Check your ear as baggage” is to be the new appeal of

the Southern' "Pacific Company to motorists who have bfeen delayed in getting to resorts because of 'highway traffic congestion.- As a means of bringing the automobile back to the railway, the Southern 'Pacific; has arranged to carry automobiles dh;the trains with their owners, according to F. S. McGinnis, passenger Traffic* manager, who has just announced the. construction of a new type of railway ear to transport the automobiles. 1 Hereafter a motorist from San Fran- 1 cisco bound for Del Monte may drive to the railway station, obtain a ‘bag-! gago check'fov H is mot or "ear* board the train, and reclaim his automobile at, Del Monte. It will be carried in tlioj same train with the owner. The now railway cars are equipped with end doors and heavy steel runways to take automobiles aboard. Thoautomobile baggage ear is believed tobe an innovation by 'the Southern Pacific Company which will tend to bring back business. THE TOURING SEASON.

Now that the tonring season is close at hand it behoves those who delight in getting away on tlhe open rorid, to have their cars put-into.-good running} condition. Maybe the engine would; be better for decarbonising, the valves; ground in and the tappets adjusted.) Attention should be given to nil the lubrication points, while the sump should lie drained off and refilled with fresh oil. The battery should be examined to see if further distilled water is required to bring it to the. correct level. 'Look to the spare lamp lnilbs to see ‘if they are o.k. The condition of the tyres should be examined and if they show signs of considerable wear, it is wise to replace with new covers. The old tyres’ can be worn right, out, later on, when the driving conditions arc easier. A check up of the tool kit is also wisos» also test the tyre inflator. WHEEL BURNT. BINDING-BRAKE STARTS FIRE. BUMP WAS FIRST HINT. An unusual accident was llie oxperi- 1 cnee of a driver who was speeding along the southern road (says a Sydney paper). One of his front wheel brakes was binding, and the friction set fire to the wooden wheel. The driver knew nothlrig Vf the trouble waiting for him until his axle hit the ground. Then, he thought ho had lost a wheel, but discovered the wreckage of Ihe charred spokes and, tyre benerith the 1 Car. A girls’ college, In 'Massachusetts (U.S.A.) has added a motor ediirse to) its curriculum. StUdcrits are taught to driUe, rift’d leafn 'why n ear goo'sVW well as why it sometimes stops. The installation of 2500 new traffic signals in New York City has 'elitn-j inated the necessity l'or etriploVinjgl 5000 additional policemen.