THE NORTH ISLAND

Southland Times, Issue 19461, 28 January 1925, Page 7

THE NORTH ISLAND

INVERCARGILL MAN’S TRIP. THE “PERFECT ROAD” MYTH. A COMPARISON OF CONDITIONS. “Auckland has nothing Southland has not got—except the population. Southland has its wonderful farm lands, its sound business towns, and as to climate—well look at the weather just now, and Southland has about 1A hours more daylight in which to enjoy it.” Mr M. H. Hyndman who has lately returned from a holiday visit to the Ncrth Island, expressed that opinion yesterday, when talking to a Times reporter of his trip by motor car and train throughout the towns and districts north of Wellington. “Auckland is a really beautiful city,” he continued, “and its inhabitants are intensely patriotic. It is Auckland first, last and always, and they know and care nothing of other provinces. I was particularly interested in the fine harbour improvements that are being carried out, and spent a considerable time in examining the new wharves and facilities. It was prophesied long ago that Auckland and Invercargill were to become the most important cities in the Dominion, and cne day when a party of us were standing on Mount Eden looking over the city, an Auckland friend mentioned this.”

“Yes,” I said, “But Invercargill has got a long way to go yet.” “Still, Invercargill is the place for bonny babies,” some one answered. And that is the position in a nutshells to my mind Southland wants oply the population—it has all the rest.” THE ROADS. Mr Hyndman also mentioned the reading problem as it had been faced in North Island districts. His experience was that on the whole the North Island roads, in the back country could not compare with those cf Southland. 'They were in a terrible condition and he had sympathised with char-a-banc drivers in some districts. “As an instance,” said Mr Hyndman, “when we were weekending at Wairaki, a number of Auckland business men motor ed through for the week-end. One new arrival was sitting in the hotel and a friend of his who had also motored through, came in to the room. The following conversation ensued: “Well what sort cf a trip did you have?” “Very good. Very good indeed. I only had the chains on three times.” “Many places were the same,” Mr Hyndman continued and on occasions he was warned to take the tram rather than motor over certain stretches of road. Asked if he had seen any of the farfamed Taranaki bitumen roads, he replied that he had examined several stretches, but had found them in no better condition than the small portion of asphalt on the East Road in Invercargill.