NEW BRIGHTON.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4829, 13 May 1925, Page 1

NEW BRIGHTON.

PLAINS PLEASURE RESORT.

IMPRESIONS OF A VISITOR.

Hauraki Plains motorists must find the roads in that locality very monotonous, ami the news that, the road to New Brighton, about twelve miles down the coast from Waitakariuu, is, during good weather, a good motoring road, will probably be welcomed. It offers many inducements for an afternoon’s spin, and when Ls attractiveness becomes known the run should be a very popular one. Sea bathing at a sandy beach, and fishing, may be had, and there are many ideal picnic grounds.

For about four miles from Waitakaruru the road has been metalled, and the balance in the Hauraki Plains Comity has been formed up well above high spring-tide level, and is now in first-class order. The work nas been done by contractors and council employees, and the settlers of the locality have given valuable assistance, as the necessity for getting as much done as possible during the fine ■weather has been fully realised. The formation has been, built of sea mud, the tenacity of which, when wet, equals that of glue. The writer has vivid recollecitons of several hours spent in getting a motor-cycle along a few miles of this road after a heavy isliower of rain lasting about twenty minutes. With every step about, an inch of mud was picked up, and every few yards the mud had to be scraped from the mudguards of the cycle. To permit the road-making machinery to work regularly the contractors erected small stop-banks to keep the sea at high tides from wetting the spoil to be shifted.

Near the end of the metalled portion of the road is a track leading to the hot springs. Situated in a swamp surrounded by raupo and ti-tree, these hot pools present an unattractive appearance ; but it its claimed that the waters possess valuable properties for the alleviation of sciatica and rheumatism, and at various times there has been talk of acquiring the area for public purposes. Warm water has an attraction for some people, and parties frequently bathe in the pools, though very little agitation stirs up the vegetable matter lying on the bottom and dirties the water. Beyond the Hauraki Plains County boundary the road to Miranda and New Brighton is under the control of the Whangamarino Road Board for a short distance, and this portion is rough, compared with the smooth surface elsewhere. The only work undertaken this season has been voluntarily supplied by the settlers, and consists of raising the formation above high-tide level.

The, Road Board’s territory forms an acute angle, running down to a point near the Miranda Landing. Beyond,, in the Franklin County, is a good road, which later joins the Wai-takaruru-Pokeno road and is a much better route. This road is used by many motorists in preference to the main highway.

The mad to New Brighton follows along the sea-coast, and though unformed and defined only by three tracks, it is ideal for motoring, as it is of hard shell with only a few patches of sand. As the HauTaki Plains are left behind the mud banks give way to shelly, beaches, where good bathing and fishing may be had.

New Brighton itself is a quaint, oldfashioned place, though big efforts have, and are, being made to make it a /seaside resort. It lias a regular boat service, and a. good! metalled road leads to Auckland ; but horses st.il! shy at motors and women still use. the old-fashioned side-saddle wnen riding. Numerous signboards point out sections for sale, and also the way to the Bay View Hotel, store, and post office.

An 18-roomed hotel is being built down on tlie flat near the long wharf, but up to the present mine host, wno is gener.al storekeeper and postmaster as well, has conducted all three businesses in a small, low-roofed buildinfl which, except for the printing on the lintel proclaiming that the premises arc licensed for the sale of spirituous and fermented liquors, would be taken fbr a shed in the yard of what was perhaps the hotel, the roof of which could be seen over tlie brow of the hill.

Inside the building mine host was found endeavouring to sell a pair ot moleskins, the while he weighed up some bananas, kept an eye on . a woman testing the quality of different, pieces of cloth, and ■ listened to the. argument on the merits of the All Blacks in case he missed a call for another bottle of ale from the crowd on the seats in the far corner.

The “oldest inhabitant” was there', muttering cuTses oh the County Council for the amount of rates demanded and on the weather, which had “ruined half the farmers in the countryside.” Leaning against the bar end of the counter a group of fanners discussed the size of. their turnip crops and abused the Dairy Company.

New Brighton undoubtedly has a future. It has a good road to Auckland, .and during the summer is frequented by campers who desire a quiet holiday. When the numerous section recently sold have been bult on, the new hotel completed, and tae gap on the road from the Hauraki Plains to Auckland metalled, New Brighton will become a. popular summer resort and stopping-place for motorists who prefer the byways t? the highways and to whom delightful scenery is worth a. Utile extra distance to .travel. ... . .