MOTORING

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18905, 21 January 1927, Page 4

MOTORING

OBI — -»- —u^ssi BY "ROADSTER."

ROAD REPORTS. Maronan road.—This road is now in good order, due to the attention of the road grader. Amberley.—The roads in this district are in good condition, and the countryside is at its best. Halswell. —The roads leading from Christchurch through the Halswell County, are on the whole, in good prder, and the scenery affords a very pleasant motor run for those not" wishing to go far. A pleasant trip is round the old or Hills road, ■ round Tai Tapu and back by Drain road. Many picnicking spots are found on the route, where ample shade is afforded by hawthorn fences and trees overhanging the I grassy roads.

Halkett. —The roads in the.Halkett disI trict are only fair just now. The Old West Coast road is very rough and bumpy right from Guiney's corner to the Miners. • Motorists going we«t would do well.to turn to the ' left about a mile and a half above Yal'dhurst, and take the Halkett . road, which leads back on to the West Coast road at Guiney's corner. This road is only about a mile further, and it is in fair order, whilst the West Coast road is very rough. Ladbrookß.— Owing to the very heavy traffic during the holidays, the roads in the Ladbrooks and Broadfield district have again got cut up and . require early attention, especially in respect to grading. Similar remarks apply to the Springston district, where in many cases the loose shingle requires immediate attention. The ranger recently appointed by the Paparua County Council is sparing no pains in respect to stray cattle on the public roads, for winch, he will receive the thanks of motor and other drivers. Dangerous corners are still a menace in the district, and unless som action is taken to. cut. back the overgrowth serious accidents are likely to occur. Oust.-The "roads in the district are still in fair motoring condition. The main Kangiora-Oxford road, however, through the Oust towni ship, is now being heavily shingled, i making driving awkward, especially ! at night. If wet weather continues it should soon settle the shingle, and make motoring better. Walkuku.-All the roads in this district have improved considerably of late with the exception-of Oresson »s. road, which is rapidly going from bad to worse. With-a little grading occasionally, however,.it would soon be in good order. • •

Lake Coleridge.-A motor run lo Lake Coleridge is a trip winch ~every electric power user in Canterbury should endeavour to take. irom. Christchurch Lake Coleridge is, according to the CA.A. road, map, 7.0 miles, and for motorists from the south the distance from the Kakaia Gorge is about 14 miles. From the place where the roads converge to the power-house (following the transmission lines),the road is one to gladden the heart, of a motorist. It is easily undulating, with an excellent surface. Immediately on the top of the cutting on ■ the lake side of the bridge over the Acheron river • the, roads diverge, the one, as indicated by the sign post, going direct to the power-house,-the otherto the tunnel intake. EacE place should be visited, a direct road. connecting the two places. At present some patching has been done on the road 1 near the power-house. The roads to the tunnel intake are in good order. Motorists from the south take the road leading uphill immediately after crossing the Bakaia Gorge bridge. This leads up the zig-zag, which is an easy gradeand except for a few rough places is in fair order. From the top of the zig-zag to the main road the track is now shingled.

Selwyn .ford is eas : ily negotiable at present, .there being, very little water -in _ the . stream. Kimberley.— The roads in the Kimberley district are' in fair order.' The > West Coast road is good at Kimberley, but lower down towards Christxhurch the surface is broken up.in places. Motorists passing through the district . along the "West. Coast road can view an excellent example of erosion on . the banks of the Waimaka'riri at . "BleaWiouse- Cutting," at -the/etfd of the Darfield-Kimberley road. The banks-at this spot are 100 ft high and perpendicular. The River Trust erected grbyneß in the vicinity, and the work : they-are doing can be easily seen.

Main South, road,— The road, as far as Kolleston is in good order, with a tnilo or two. of much appreciated bitumen surface about Biccarton. From Bolleston to the Selwyn, the road is the worst on tho whole journey. Much.care must be takon after rain as the surface soon becomes dangerously greasy. From the.Selwyn to Ashburton the roads are rough in places, but are in fair order. At Tinwald either the Maronanor .the Hinds-road may be taken. The Hinds road is in slightly beUer order, but the Maronan road is quite good. There is some very bad. road between Geraldine and Winchester, portions of which can be avoided'by taking the first road to the left.' • After crossing the Orari river, pass tho first cross roads, and take the middle road ahead, where five roads meet. 'This meets the railway line near the Orari station, where the line can be followed to Temuka and then to Timaru. The roads here are in fair order, some of the tar-sealed roads outside Timarii being very good. The bridge over the Pareora river, about twelve miles past Timaru needs care, aB it is rather narrow and very rough. On to Dunedin the roads are in fair order with several miles of good asphalt just outside that town." From Dunedin on to Inver-. . cargill the condition of the road varies, but there are no stretches as bad as tha J part near- the Selwyn.

Mount Somers. —The main highway roads through the Mount Somers district, north to Christchurch, or. south to Timaru, are very rough, at present, owing to numerous pot-holes and loose shingle, the result of repairs and patching recently effected by the Highway Board's surfacemen. Once through the district the roads will be found in much bet- * ter order. .As these road's are wind swept from the Asliburton Gorge, their upkeep is considerably- greaten ' ■ • .

Hood's traffic bridge (commonly known as tho Mount Somen, bridge), which has been closed for several months for repairs and oyerseveral m completed, hanhng, has just uee .£, r „„ R . and no doubt there will be rocreas these routes in f«ture. Motorists would welcome the erection of a sign-post at lur erection u ° rner a t,ove ton's corner, or mo Rtrqn£rerß Tltt UP th burton Gorge, Seaming of their error. SSTi actions_ of^ ,H«a Board's surfaceman, are at p. r'r™.?"«S becoming more the Gorge a" " wcek . e ud ed.

«• o n «fh road —Considering tho Main South roM- £ ffl th Main . ! Cd las had to carry dur--O Um ttt three weeks, that porHo g n between Kstchurch and Tiaru, generally speaking, in a loose surface sinngie » holes are experienced. as and then, while observing the fet 'the iff. b S he m "etting in'' stopZg»,£ltho. Si h,niov- '? '• SfttiitaJtSJteteh pedal, secret of a smooth start.