NEW TOURIST ROUTE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1991, 23 February 1914, Page 6

NEW TOURIST ROUTE.

SHORT CUT TO TAUPO.

GREAT PLAYGROUND FOR

WELLINGTON;

MIGHT BE READY NEXT SPRING,

It is. not generally known that b.y the construction of some twelve miles of roael and tho bridging of two streams , the LakeTaupo districts-tile finest-holi-day ground in tho- North Island — might bo brought within a few hours' journey of Wellington by. comfortable travel, and converted into practically a week-end resort for tho southern portion of the North Island. At present the Hot Lakes region is regarded as more or less an exclusive asset of Auckland Province. .The citizens of Auckland long ago saw to it that the railway was taken down to Rotorua, but Wellington, with characteristic apathy in such matters, has taken lit? tlo interest in improving the roads in from tho south. To-day Rotorua may be reached by rail in ten hours from Auckland, and Taupo b.y motor-car in another four hours. From Wellington the traveller has the choice of two routes, one via Napier, with a hundrejmile journey to follow over some unusually steep and mountainous roads., or that via Waiouru, between which point and Tokaann the coach has to climb to the highest point reached on any regular coaching route in the Dominion, and also passes through miles of loose sand, rough country, and across unbridged streams. .. .' A Half-finished Road. The new routo is that from Waimarino to Tokaanu. Since the construction' of the Main Trunk railway it has been recognised b.y all who know the configuration of the country that this offers by far the easiest way in to Taupo for -travellers from the south. The Seddon Government, during the hey-day of the tourist boom, began the construction of a road between tho two points, but this has never been completed and has lain for years past partially formed and of no use at all in its present state.

More recently the advocacy of the ronte has been taken up by the Hon. John Duthie, arid, thanks to his perseverance, there is every likelihood that the gap now remaining will be completed before long. Mr. Duthie, in speaking to a Dominion reporter of tho advantages of the road, stated that he understood that thero was a probability of the Government using prison labour to carry out the remainder of the work. Personally he was afraid that this might mean a rather slow rate of progress, l a tiling he would be very sorry to for ho thought it would be a great pity if the road were not open for traffic by October next. Residents of the south should not bo blocked from .access to Taiipo for another season. Last session Mr. Duthie moved for a return showing.the position of the road and the prospects of its completion. It was then set out in the official reply that tho total distance through by the route from Waimarino railway station to Tokaanu, at -the southern end of Lake Taupo, was approximately 40 miles. From the Tokaanu end a dray road had been, formed for a distance of 24 miles, and from, the Waimarino end for .about 3;} miles. Of the intervening gap of about 12 miles, seven miles, had been formed and was now in a considerably damaged state, and the remaining. five- miles was still untouched. Two bridges are required, one across tho Wanganui River (about a 40ft. span), and the other a small affair across the Mangahuia Stream. The estimatedcost of tho road formation and bridging is £3000. • In pointing out "what the new road would mean to-Wellington, Mr. Duthio said that, for instance, a traveller might leave the city by tile night express at 9.10 p.m., arrive at.Waimarino at 7 o'clock in the morning, and,fallowing an hour for breakfast, be in 'Tokaanu at 11 o'clock, aftor an enjoyable motor run over a generally level road. ■ The traveller would first cross the open Waimarino Plain, and after a etretoh of six or,seven milos through the bush would emerge on the shores of Lake Rotoaira around which the road winds for 6ome distance, finally. striking away again and iunctioning with the present Wai-ouru-Tokaanu Road at a point about eleven miles out from Tokaanu. From Tokaanu to Taupo, even by the present steamer, which is not especially speedy, tho voyage across tho lake occupies only three hours, so that one might easily proceed on to the. Spa, Wairakei, the Huka Falls, the Aratiatia Rapids, or other points of interest, and spend the greater portion of tho afternoon in sight-seeing.

( A Summer Paradise. Once Taupois made readily accessible/ Mr. Duthie is convinced that it will become probably the most popular summer resort in New Zealand. Its light, bracing ■ atmosphere makes it an ideal spot for health purposes; it.has several excellent fishing rivers, and the lake itself abounds in trout; there are hot springs at Tpkaanu A and the wonders of Wairakei and- tho Spa, at the northern end of the lake; for the young and ad- . venturous there are the mountains to bo scaled; and, finally,.as a yachting giound Taupo's waters offer many attractions., Tho scenery along the "western shores of. the lake is particularly fine, with its bush-grown slopes and cliffs touched with colour in tho season by the vivid blooms of the pohutukawa, and in the numerous bays on this shore ideal spots could bo found for summer cottages and boardinghouses. The seaBon would last from September or October to tho end of April—about twothirds of tbn year.

"Where else could one find such a summer paradise as' this?" asked Mr. Duthie. "And would there not be a rush for the country if reasonable access wero provided, and publicity given to its advantages?" Mr. Duthie added that tho route would be an important matter for the railways from a revenue point of view. Besides benefiting tho whole of the southern portion of tho North Island, and the South Island also, it would provide Aucklanders visiting Rotorua with an interesting circular route, for thoy might go on to Taupo and Tokaanu, out to the railway at Waiouru, and then home, with possibly a call at the Waitomo Caves. The tourist from abroad travelling through the length of the Dominion could visit tho whole of the thermal district, and yet— without rotracing his steps—emerge on the railway at a point that could not bo handier for connecting with tho Wanganui River steamers. : ' New Motor Route. Finally,, with tho building of a bridgo on the road around tho lake between Tokaanu and Taupo township, a new through summer road would be available for motorists. Mr. Duthio states that ho has motored up from the Rangitikei to Ohakuno and driven on to Raurimu, and has found no obstacle to block motorists in summer weather on that portion of tho road. Summing up the position, Mr. Duthie said his great desire was to see the route completed by October, and he hoped that the public, because of the lack of about a dozen or so miles of road, would not bo blocked from Tatipo for another season. If tho establishment of a- prison camp was tho best that could be done, well and good, but ho could not help feeling that this was likely to mean postponing, the cpmniPiicement of tho work until the spring, and thus another season would be lost, a thing that every effort should be made to avoid, . .