Dead off Motoring.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 26 February 1913, Page 3

Dead off Motoring.

A motorist who recently visited Helensville from Auckland, and essayed to leturn via Waiwera, writes to a friend that " He is now dead off motoring ". The party came to Helensville by the Great North Road' doing the distance in good time, and essayed to return via Waiwera. Leaving Helensville at 10.50 a.m. en Sunday the car reached Waiwera at 1 30 ; after taking the wrong turning at Kaukapakapa, and receiving a puncture nearing Waiwera, After lunch and a rest they left Waiwera at 3.45 p.m,. expecting to make Takapiina at 6 p.m. They negotiated Hadfield Hill safely, and got as far as the first bridge where they got in the sand, and stuck there for ] £ hours, and it was only by scraping the sand away, and laying down ti-tree and mats that they got out of it, at Grut's Grew a, they again got into sand, and had " another pu-uic," and a little further on got more sand, and by about 6 p.m. thej' were still in the vicinity of Grut's, but eventually got going reaching the Wade Hotel at 6,30, About 3 miles further on one of the springs broke, fortunately opposite a settlers door, he was a handy man and while one of the occupants walked back to the Wade 'for assistance, endeavoured to patch the spring up sufficient to allow of the car being taken back to the Wade hostelry, Where the paTty weie kindly looked after, for the night, being supplied with plenty of hot milk, bread and "butter. At 6.30 in the morning a fresh start was made, and with careful handling the car reached Devonport in time to take the 9 a.m. boat on Monday. The correspondent finishes by Baying. '• If anyone should ask about the roads, you can tell them the WaiweraNTakapuna road defies descripton, and none who value their cars should attempt the journey.''