THROUGH MOUNTAIN FASTNESSES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 72, 17 December 1937, Page 19 (Supplement)

THROUGH MOUNTAIN FASTNESSES

The Urewera Country, between Waikaremoana and Rotorua, is a road wbich is often traversed by Hawke's Bay motorists at holiday time. A reduc-tion of one hour in the time previously taken to cover 30 miles of mountainous country of the Waikaremoana highway lias been effec-ted by the very extensive improvements whicli have been completed during the past eighteen months. To the motorist who is accustomed to average 30 to 40 miles per hour on the good open highways of the more settled districts, the foregoing may appear to be a strange statement. A few years ag0 three hours was little enough to allow for the trip from Ruatahuna over the Huiarau range to Lake Waikaremoana — an average speed of 10 m.p.h. — but this journey can %now be completed, by one who lcnows the road, in perfect safety within two hours. Extensive widening and general cutting back of corners on both sides of the Lake House, "Waikaremoana, will further improve matters and greatly lessen the rick of suddenly encountermg a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. On the Rotorua side of Ruatahuna portions of the old road which were barely wide enough for one car, now almost take three cars abreast, and work of this nature is continuing over the big climb on Mt. Tarapounamu. As the earthworks are completed metal is being laid and as soon as proper consolidation has taken place there will be little fear of motorists encountering troublo.