HOLIDAYS BY CAR

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1932, Page 14

HOLIDAYS BY CAR

MANY MOTORING TRIPS

NORTH ISLAND ATTRACTIONS. ROADS IN GOOD CONDITION. LARGE NUMBER OF. INQUIRIES. “"7* ‘ Keen interest is being shown by motorists this, year in the wide range of attractive resorts and tours which can be made during the holidays, and there has been a very large number of inquiries at the office of the Auckland Automobile ■ Association. ' “We have experienced the busiest period in the history of the association,” said the touring manager of the association this week. 1 “Our information bureau is daily visited by hundreds _of motorists from all-parts of the Dornin--ion, quite a large percentage being from country districts. One hears very little of depression in our office just now; everyone seems to have thrown his cares aside and is eagerly anticipating the. holiday period.” A perusal of the inquiries Which have been answered by the association dur-’ ing the past , few months shows that a very wide range of routes.-has been selected for this year’s motor touring holiday. A surprisingly large number of motorists will visit the South Island. North Auckland, as usual, will attract a large throng of holiday-makers. The Coromandel Peninsula is another campers’ paradise and the improvements to the roads which'have been parried out in this district during the past year, will provide greater convenience for visitors. The seaside resorta. of the Bay of Plenty are attracting residents of the Waikato and adjacent districts, in addition to large numbers from Auckland and cities further south.

NEW SCENIC ROUTE. Campers who favour the more out-of-the-way places are- looking forward to, investigating the Opotiki-East Coast route,'where, good roads extend to the Raukokore River. This is a very beautiful ' trip, the road .running along the rugged sea, coast amid the groves of pohutpkawa trees; and other native bush. The connecting link between Opotiki and Gisborne, via Cape Rimaway, is not yet,recommended for motor traffic. On the west coast, Raglan and Kawhia provide a playground for residents in the King Country and adjacent districts. With the opening of the new scenic route from Raglan .’to- Kawhia and thence to and Awakino, an increasing number of motorists is likely to be seen, on the highways leading to the west coast. This west coast route has an unmetalled section between Raglan and Kawhia, which is in fair order at present. There •is further clay between Kawhia and Kihohaku, but, in this instance, the surface is father deeply rutted,, but will soon grind down with traffic. Both these sections are susceptible to rain. Further south beyond Moeatoa, there is another clay gap which presents rather rough travelling. Representations have been made by the Auckland Automobile Association asking that a surfaceman should be employed filling the water-courses on the surface, and, if this work is carried out, the road in fine weather should be fairly reasonable. A particular feature of this route is the profuse growth of all varieties of tree fems,, which are relieved by bush, river and coastal scenery. - ' “ ■ ' ’ „ ' ■ , ROTORUA AND NATIONAL PARK. Roads leading to Rotorua will carry particularly heavy traffic, and motorists are reminded of the speed restriction of 30 miles per 'hour which is imposed on both sides of the Mamaku' Hill, between Tirau and Ngongotaha. Taupo, Wairakei and the Tongariro River, near Tokaanu have been selected as the rendezvous of many, while others have chosen these resorts as part of a comprehensive tour. According to the latest report received from the National Park, motorists can now use every road approaching the Chateau with the utmost confidence. The motor camp at the National Park has been improved and an all-weather road has been extended. There seems to be a tendency among motorists to confine the major portion of their trips to the portions of the North Island north of Palmerston North, and comparatively few have included Wellington in their itineraries. Gisborne will receive more visitors during the summer, this no doubt being due to the improvements carried out in the Waioeka Valley route, which obviates the necessity of travelling over the notorious Motu Hills. BEAUTIES OF WAIKAREMOANA. The Waikaremoana route still remains something of an adventure for the less confident driver. Considerable widening has been done on the very narrow portions of the road and the latest report indicates that travelling . conditions are fairly reasonable. There is still an unmetalled length round the lake, and while this is of semi-pujnice formation and does not become affected' by rain immediately, it cuts up with traffic in sufficiently wet weather. The walking trip to Lake Waikare-iti is a feature of this tour.

Touring roads generally throughout the North Island will be found to have improved since last year, although maintenance in certain respects is showing the effects of uneconomical methods imposed on account of the restricted finances of the Main Highways Board.