NORTH ISLAND ROADS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 96, 17 January 1935, Page 4

NORTH ISLAND ROADS

Trip Through the Urewera Country LOVELY WAIKAREMOANA First-hand information about the roads through the North Island is always interesting and valuable at this time of the year when so many peopleappear to be motoring through the country. Among those who have just returned from an extensive tour in a small car, having covered 1203 miles in twelve days, are Mr. and Mrs. It. Stent, of Karaka Bay. As they diverged here and there from the main roads, their experiences might be of profit to others. They proceeded north by way of Palmerston North, Feilding; and Taihape. The gravelled-section of the road before reaching-Taihape was quite good, but from there on to : Waiouru there was a good deal of irritating corrugation, which continued pretty well on to Ohakune. ■ From there to National Park and so on to the Chateau, the road had a good gravel surface, and there were no complaints. "From there we proceeded on to Tokaanu,” said Mr. Stent. ‘-Four miles before reaching the hotel the road was shockingly-corrugated, and sadly needs attention. From Tokaanu to Taupo and on to Rotorua the going was good. The same remark applies to the greater part of the run from there on to Tauranga; but some three miles before reaching the coast road on that run

there occurs three miles of the fiercest corrugations on the whole trip. One felt as though the car was deteriorating at the rate of fl per minute, £0 fearful was the jolting given over that short stretch of road. The summer camping and picnic ground at Tauranga is known as “The Mount.” It is just opposite the township of Tauranga. but the journey by land is about four miles—four miles of the worst road in the island. “How on' earth the people of Tauranga, who think so much of their Mount, which is a most attractive place for surfers and bathers, tolerate this road I do not understand,” said Mr. Stent “They have a lovely place for an ocean playground, but they give all motorists the worst of impressions by neglecting to put some sort of surface on the road.. “From Tauranga we drove back to Rotorua, and then set out for Waikaremoana by way of the Urewera country,” continued Mr. Stent. “Twentyfour miles of that road runs through a splendid State forest, mostly pines of various kinds. The road surface was rutted, but not so bad on the w’hole. At Te Whaiti, where there is a lovely camping ground near a sawmill, we entered the gorgeous forest lands of the Urewera. Here the road is narrow and -winding, but the surface is reasonably good. Still, care has to be taken in driving owing to the restricted breadth of the road, and its frequent turns and twists. “The surface was remarkably good. And so on to Ruatahuna, the ‘capital’ of the Urewera territory. The road was. ijair for part of the way from Ruata•finna on, but it gradually worked into very heavy metal, so rough that it became a second gear job. Nine miles from Lake House the surface was Clayey and ruttetj, and.one had.to take it rather carefully, for here and there the road approached places where there were sharp descents to the waters-of-the lake. High in the hills, this lake is . one of serene . loveliness, and well .worth a' visit; From the Late House on to the outlet, the road is still rutty and has to be taken carefully. The road on to Wairoa soon opens out to a good 'metalled surface. From Wairoa the journey was continued on tp Gisborne over the Whareralas. The roads back to Wellington are too well known to call for comment.”