WITH TENT AND MOTOR

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1929, Page 21 (Supplement)

WITH TENT AND MOTOR

ADVENT OF SUMMER SEASON ' popularity of camping. PROVISION OF FACILITIES. (By "Trip.”—Special t 6 News.) These articles, which will be continued throughout the summer months, will deal with all aspects of camping and motoring. As a special service to renders, queries on any matters relating to motor camping, will be answered. Such- queries should be addressed to “Trip." c/o P.O. Box 1178. Wellington, and a stamped addressed envelope enclosed for reply. Every possible assistance will be given, and queries will be answered in rotation. The advent of October, with ita brighter, sunnier days (let tw hope) heralds the approach of the summer motoring, season in New Zealand. While in one sense there is no division of the year into motoring, and non-motoring seasons, there are many thousands of cars used principally-' in -the summer. There was a time—and that not so very far distant, either—when riiotbring, like radio, was a seasonal luxury, but .that was in the bad days before self-starters had attained their present state of efficiency. \ . The motor camping idea has spread tremendously in New Zealand during the last three years. Only a few seasons ftgo, little provision was made 'for the motorist who wished to camp as he travelled, and the idea that he was a nuisance rather than ah asset was all too prevalent amongst those who were called upon to provide occasional meals,, amongst municipalities who were urged to instal decent facilities for gampiug motorists. WHY' MOTOR CAMPING GROWS. Slowly but surely the opposition that has existed is passing away. Accommodation houses at tourist resorts find that they are still packed to overflowering at the busy periods, although hundreds of motorists may be camped out in the same locality. The reason why their business is unaffected is that jrfbtor camping has opened the way to .thousands, to enjoy holidays more cheaply than they could otherwise have done. They are' a class additional to .the ordinary tourist traffic, and servicing them provides additional revenue for business people in our various pleasure resorts. Here, with a warm and equable summer climate, with long sunny- days,, good roads, and scenery as wonderful As exists in any country, we are ideally situated for the enjoyment of motor camping. Despite the pessimints who paint gloomy pictures of the plight of campers during the occasional wintry spells that intersperse themselves in tho midst of our summer, motor camping »is increasing greatly each season, and in likely to continue to do so. About the New Year at Rotorua there were close on 300 care parked in the camping ground, so that, allowing a conservative estimate of three persons per car,' close on 1000 people were camping in that one place. All accommodation houses were full, and further south towards Taupo and Wairakei there were hundreds more campers scattered about. Elsewhere throughout the Dominion it was much the same, and automobile associations and hotel priprietors are assuming that there will be an even greater number this year. AMERICAN -MOTOR CAMPING. It was America that perfected the motor camping idea, but, strangely enough, it was England that first brought it into being on a fairly extensive scale, despite her much maligned flimate, and it was England too that produced the first so-called sunshine saloon, which looks like being <u car ipf the future ju that it provides the advantages of an open car together with the luxury of a closed model. In the days when motor camping in New Zealand was in its infancy, America had a chain of camping {daces ex.iendiim from coast to coast, and throughout the length and breadth of .the land. For many, it was top popular, and.the difficulty during the holiday periods was to get near the tourist resorts. Its popularity indeed has added considerably to [he 'country’s motoring problems, but that is by the way. From being a purely summer pastime, jnotor camping in America has grown to Re an all-the-year possibility, due to the ' provision of thousands of camping htihs, and more elaborate bungalows. The writer, for one, believes that this is a possibility of the future* in this country also. Already (at Christchurch) substantial accommodation is available to motorists, this making it possible to holiday there at any time of the year, while still cooking meals, etc., as with ordinary camping. The advantages are obvious, for there are many whose occupations prevent them taking their annual holidays during [he mouths when the weather is normally at its best. The Christchurch accommodation i.s on ft specially good scale, but there is no reason why similar provision, at the inorc popular tourist resorts, should not [bo made a very paying proposition. Provided suitable buildings are erected in the first place, comparatively little labour is needed to keep them in order ns motor campers are used to fending for themselves. For a few (shillings a day people could have this simple accommodation, the use of cooking appliances, and such minor luxuries as hot baths. Those people who. normally stay in comfort at an hotel will not change, so that additional accommodation of this nature would affect no one detri: jnental’y. AT OUR SCENIC RESORTS. •The local bodies’ in the various (ownadjacent to our principal scenic rcsuiTs are now fairly well alive to the need for provision for motor campers, and places such as are reserved for campera at Rotorua and Queenstown (to mention but two widely separated places) are excellent, the appointments, especially in the former case, being admirable. Once the idea that camping meant lessor returns for any section

'of. the community is dispelled, better provision will become more general, and wise docal- bodies will probably make the itinerant motorist contribute eo-mc-thino- towards revenue. I haven't seen a balance-sheet of the Rotorua camping ground, but I’’should imagine that during the busiest part of the summer, at any rate, it id a payable proposition 1 for the council. And rightly so. No motorist objects to paying the few shillings asked when certain amenities a: c provided. ; One thing which undoubtedly militates against more inter-island motor camping, by which I mean North Island motorists taking their cars to the South Island and vice versa, is the heavy transportation cost' across Cook Strait. The shipping companies know their own business best, of course, and I do not suggest that their charges are extortionate. It does seem, however, that a reduction, in the rates would mean a very considerable, increase in the volume of this traffic, with increased returns to the companies. Against- that I will be told that already the boats, especially the Wellington-Picton boat, are loaded to capacity at times. I know personally a good many motorists who would have had a holiday in the other. island had it. not been that transportation costs were so heavy. MOTOR CAMPING IS CHEAP. The linal point I wish to make in this first article is for. the benefit of those who'have never previously had a motor camping holiday.. This type of holiday is the cheapest of all, and it is possible for a family to travel several thousand miles, see many of our most delightful scenic resorts, live well, and still spend less that would have been spent on fares, had the same holiday been attempted without' the use of its own car. That statement is made in all seriousness, and I have proved it in practice myself. Motor campings is a cheap and delightful form of holiday, opening the way to many people of limited means to travel afield* and broaden their outlook, offering distinct advantages in freedom of movement, and providing all car owners with the ability to have the maximum of enjoyment at the minimum of expense. (Next week: “ Different Types\ of 'Motor Capping.") GENERAL ITEMS. Tho 79tli anniversay of the modern petroleum industry falls this month. On August 28, 1859, Colonel E. L. Drake struck oil in Pennsylvania. At that time, oil was sought for the production of kerosene. The products suitable for petrol or lubricants w-ere practically waste until the advent of the internal combustion engine. • « ’ # * «> . The opening ceremony of a ten-storey garage in Rome has been performed by the King and Queen of Italy; Signor Mussolini was also present. The building accommodates 1000 cars, and the floors are connected by a spiral ramp. The designer of this structure, which covers 6000 square yards, is Signor Agnelli, of the Fiat Company. .#* * * Compulsory third-party motor insurance first tried in Massachusetts, has been the subject of a number of State moves for legislation. Many States have refused to introduce tho' measure, and an alternative known as ‘'The Safety Responsibilities Bill,” lias been evolved. «■ # * Although Hu,* export figures of the British motor cycle industry for the month of June were £55,087 below the corresponding month last year, the total for the first six months of this year shows an increase of £2BS,GGG. During May imports amounted to £1743, but in Juno they dropped to £782, a decrease of £971, Tho depression incidentally, was a general one in nearly all classes of the country's export trade. • '** * *

Announcement has been made, of a railway and road expostion to be held in Chile next December. Manufacturers and producers of machines, materials and equipment concerning railroads, roads, tournist 'travel, motor cars, (rucks and tractors, are invited to exhibit their products nt an International Railway ami Road Exposition to be held at Santiago, Chile, from December 10th to 31st, 1929. At this same time the Third South American Congress of Railways will be met in the Santiago. Applications io participate in the exposition will be received by the secretary (Exposition International de Fcrroarriles y Caminos), San Martin, 353, Santiago, Chile.