PAVING THE WAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 12, 5 April 1927, Page 9

PAVING THE WAY

ROADS IN THE UREWERA ■MAORIS LISTEN TO WIRELESS “The Urewera presents some of the most beautiful scenery in the Dominion,” said Mr. R.‘ E. Champtaloup to-day on his return from a motor tour there. “The country is so wonderful that every effort is being made to push a road through to Lake Waikaremoana and to open it up to the tourists.” That was really the object of the visit of a party of members of the Auckland Automobile Association which made the journey of 225 miles into the heart of the Urewera. They wished to make the country familiar to members and £o let the outside world know of the glorious scenery. “In the Urewera, the Maoris are still unspoiled,” said Mr. Champtaloup. “They are smaller than the natives one sees in the tourist resorts, but are much more wiry.” In explaining this Mr. Champtaloup said that recently a party of deer-stalkers took a wireless set in to the Urewera. A number of Maori boys and girls walked 14 miles through the dense bush to listen-in to the account yf a prize-fight in Sydney. The entertainment lasted until 1 o’clock in the morning. Undaunted, the Maoris set out to walk the 14 miles back to their homes. •* INTERESTING MAORIS Members of the party met many interesting Maoris —Hare Hare, chief of the Ngatimanawa tribe and his wahine, Te Mare; and Paitini, the last link with the rebel chief Te Kooti. Paitini is now failing fast and has retired into the bush where, under a shelter, he is spending his last days in accordance with the old Maori custom. The visitors were also entertained with some action songs which are never seen out of the Urewera country. Speaking of the roads which are slowly being made through this wonderful scenic area, Mr. Champtaloup said that one is being constructed to connect with Lake Waikaremoana and the road from Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay. Another road is being constructed from the Bay of Plenty, which now extends southward from Wainmna. When these links are completed New Zealand will have scenic attractions which will draw thousands of tourists. MEETING OF CHIEFS At Te Whaiti, one of the most distant points reached, the motorists were invited to attend a fneeting of eight of the principal Maori chiefs and 100 under-chiefs who sought the co-oper-ation of the A.A.A. in having roads pushed through from Ruatahuna to Lake Waikaremoana. They said that two women tourists had nearly lost their lives through leaving the rough track through the bush. The Maoris also wanted a road for their children, and urged that the work be done by contract and not by day labour, as at present. Apparently, even in the wilds of beyond, the “Government stroke” is not unknown. _For the first ten miles across the Kaingaroa Plain the road is of pumice and is well settled after rain, said Mr. Champtaloup. The same conditions prevail to Muripara. After leaving Te Whaiti the road runs through the bush, where the surface is of gravel. The worst part is going to Ruatahuna, where 17 miles were covered in two hours.