Te Mata Peak Road

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 127, 15 June 1937, Page 7

Te Mata Peak Road

SAF.ER TRAVELLING.

Sir,— May I beg a little oi your space to comment upon the road wbich leads up to the Ta Alata Peak at Havelock North. Yesterday was my first opportunity of visiting this mueh-talked-of peak, and I was amazed at the paucity of road signs on the short, but exeeedingly narrow and rockv road we bad to ascend, There is a partieularly dangerous corner some U00 yards from the end of the road wlicre a sliavp upliill riglit angle tuni must be takou. Here a narrow cutting has been made ' on tho left-liand side apin-oaelnng llie corner, to allow for a w'der sweep for 1 asccnding cars, but thc only indication

of that dangerous turn i(s a small oblong sdgn on the lefb-hand route whieh reads, quite impnssi vely: "For uphill cars only." Boing an Incorrigiblo back-seat dniver, I read this notice aloud as soon as I could see it clearly, but by that time the driver of our car, who had not even seen the sign, had unhesitatingly taken the wider right-hand road, and we reaehed the top of the rise to see a deep gully straight before us. The car was just pulled round in time, and we crawled on iip an even Bteepcr grade to the parking area. Later, as we deseendcd tbe track, we watcbed with horror another. car, increasing speed to make the' grade, make tho saw« mistake as we had done and pull round the sharp turn in a desperate attempt to keep to the road. This would have been impossible had not tho edge of the cliff been firm. I have travelled a great deal in the ;North Island, and I think that the view ii'om the top of Te Mata peak, with its vista of river, sea, mountains and beautiful plains is one of the finest I have seen. Surely it is worthy of a better approach and ope which can be recommended to strangers and careful drivers, May I express the hope that .the partieular corner of which I have spoken will be improved as soon as possible, and that a legilde, definitelyrworded sign be placed at a suitable. distance from the turning? — Yours, etc..

June 13, 1937.