A LONG MOTOR TRIP.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2110, 8 February 1908, Page 1

A LONG MOTOR TRIP.

MR HARLOW'S TOUR THROUGH THE NORTH ISLAND.

WHAT A MODERN CAR CAN ACCOMPLISH.

GISBORNE TO AUCKLAND, "VIA NAPIER AND WELLINGTON.

ABSOLUTELY NO MISHAPS

On Wednesday afternoon Air and Airs W. J. (Barlow and Air and Airs A. AL. Lewis, Te Karaka, with their son and their youngest- child, arrived back from Auckland after an extended motor trip through the North Island. Seen by a Gisborne Times reporter Air Barlow gave a short outline of the journey which, was made in Mr. Lewis’s 10-li.p. Cadillac car.’ Starting on January 16tli tho ear made a good run. At Air t. Parker s, at the Alceting of the Waters near Wairoa a stay of about three hours was made, a fresh supply of benzino being taken in. A stay would have been made at Wairoa but for tho fact that the races were taking place ’and hotel accommodation was at a premium. It was therefore decided to stav the niglit at Alohaka, awiicli was reached at 7.30 p.m. that evening. . ' z-j

Molinku was left at 8.30 a.m. on tho 17th, the day’s run finishing at Waipawa. Waipawa was left on llio morning of tho 18th, and all the small towns on tho "Wellington-Napier railway line wore visited, Foatherston being reached at 7 p.m. The Rimutaka range was crossed oil tho 19th. The road across is cut out of solid rock. Arriving in Wellington tho parly proceeded immediately to Island Bay, and returned to town via the Queen’s Drive. The party stayed in Wellington on the 20tli, 21st and 22nd and a visit was paid to the "Wellington Racing Chib’s meeting on tho Club’s now courso at Trentbam. The course is ono of the finest in the Dominion, but it was suffering from tliedrought, and on the occasion of Mr Barlow’s visit •men were busy carrying buckets of water about to extinguish grassfires started by smokers throwing down lighted m itches and cigarette ends. The journey back through Waimwatu district was commenced oil the morning of the 23rd. The party , assed through Johnsmiville and through the pretty Horokiw.' Valley to the top

of the Paikakariki hill. Here they had a unique view. Just before it drops into Paikai'ariki the road is about a hundred feet above the sea. On the present occasion ii big Irish fire was raging in the vicinity and the smoke from it bad settled on tho sea entirely hiding it. The breakers only were visible, and Mr Bn? low states that the effect of the breakers apparently coming from no-vhero iv:;s

bizarre in the extreme. - ;1 s indicated b.v tho mime, the country around Paikakiriki was the greenest met with oil the whole journey. At Shannon tho railway line was left, and the party proceeded to Palmerston via Fox ton. After lunch a', ib Imors-

ton, a fresh supply of 'octroi was obtained, and ■ i start was muuo for Woodville. The journey as made via the Pahia.ua Gorge as Ho Manawatu Gorge was blocked. Woofivlle was reached in time for tea, and pushing on the party reached D.uincvirko in the evening, after a ve''_ goad day’s run. On Friday the 21th a stay was made at DannoviiT. ro < uablo the party to see 11. A. Parker, New Zeaand champion tennis player, ] Lairg a game in a tournament lien pi©coeding. As lie did not i lay until Into in the morning it was 2 o’clock-

before the party left, arriving in Hastings at night. Hastings was left on the morning of the 25th, and the party ran through Petane, to Poliui, .where there had recently been a disastrous busli fire. They saw the ruins of the sawmill which laid been destroyed. Every vestige of growth had 'veil burnt up, and the country for nr.Us was covered in cinders. Tho night was spoilt at Tarawera. At an early hour on the moiu.ng of the 26th a"start was made for the Taupe plains, and Taupo was icached about 10.30 a.m. A visit was paid to the bat-li and after an early lunch the Sun and the Crow’s Nest Geyser were visited. At 2.30 p.m. Taupo was left, and after passing thron'di Wairnkci a visit was pant to the Huka Falls on the Waikato River. Mr Barlow is very enthusiastic in sneaking of falls. 110 says that 'at • the point _ where tho body of water starts on its drop ot about a hundred feet the river is only about thirty feet wide ami to all appearances it is tbe same depth, the rapids inst above the falls arc also very pretty. At Waiotapu, where better-class* prisoners are allowed a certain amount of freedom while engaged in tree-planting, tho party inspected the Chrystal Gives and the spected the Crystal Caves and the that night. The party stayed in Rotorua on the 27th and till the afternoon of the 2Sth. Here they met Mr J. H. Martin of thto Gisborne Hotel. They also met Mr North©, of Te Karaka. On the afternoon of the 28th the party proceeded on to Cambridge. They had a good look round the lowii, the fine new bridge over tho Waikato River claiming special attention. . , After spending tho night at Cambrkh'o a'start was made for Auckland" on the 29th. The whole distance was very bad travelling, ilio old road is being allowed to get into Martin, of the Gisborne Hotel. They as a stock track. In some places it could hardly be recognised as a road, and everywhere the metal had been churned up, like a riverbed. Near Auckland the Razor Back, one of tho stiifest hills encountered on the journey had to bo negotiated. Auckland was reached at 3 o’clock that evening. A pleasant time was spent in Auckland, all the sights being s?eu. The car was driven to the top of Mt. Eden, a low hill at the back of tho town, up which a well-graded carriage drive winds and from which a beautiful and extensive view of the town and "district can be obtained. Mr Barlow says that li© could not claim that his tour was a record ono for tho Dominion, but ho felt fairly safe in claiming that it was a record in that they had had absolutely no mishaps. Ho could also claim that tho'car was" the only one to travel through to Napier without assistance.

The only really bad bit of road was the washout at Petane, which - is about two chains long. There was, said Air Barlow, some misconception as to what it actually was. The general opinion was that it was a slip on the side of a cliff, but it was of an entirely different character. It :s a spit by the sea, composed of very fine gravel. On the landward side is a small lagoon. When tho tide is high and the weather rough the sea is driven over the spit, and. when 'he chio recedes the water in the lagoon oozes back to tho sea. and the consequence is that- the washout is always uy u very yielding state. It Us fearful £ til if to travel through', and five horses have all they can do to pull an empty coach through. Walking through it is very hard work. It is stated to be verv dangerous at times. It is the only road there is, and Air Barlow is of opinion that a road should bo made at the. foot of the bills. With tho Petane washout eliminated there would bo nothing to stop a, car getting through to Napier from Lisin conclusion Air Barlow flirted that all members of the party thoroughly enjoyed themselves. One pleasing feature of the trip was that the party had never through any cause" to miss going anywhere or seeing anything.