INTERESTING MOTOR TRIP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1357, 6 February 1915, Page 4

INTERESTING MOTOR TRIP.

[By G.0.8.]

(Continued.) ROTORUA TO TAURANGA

Rotorua is situated on the lake ot that name, and is noted for its wonderful and awe-inspiring sights. The first thing one notices is the army of touts that get a living by selling tickets for the trips. To the tourist it certainly saves a tride, being able to purchase tickets at one’s lodgings, but at the same time they a.-e ex- | tremely pushing and ttnac .. . The sanatorium gardens sr U beauty spot, and the Go/e-c-m in’. Tourist Department deserve ►Tea 1 , credit for the way tl tiSc. ce. ! .l ; out and kept. There are run j ous lawns for bowls, cm v. , u*.. ! tennis, and for the smail sum of ! sixpence one can have. game, and there. 1; 'ways someone wanting a parlatr. The :rou» no-.:l is very pretty, aai • 1 are splendid specimens of the rainbow variety, and are very keen after the breadrmtnbs. There k a miniature zoo, ; nd ilso cve.’ r-- and hot water holes, prd of the ffowe.s words fail to describe the effect and colour schemes. The town is laid out on the square, aud the trees along the side of the road are a considerable aid to the beauty. The Government tree nurseries are close to the town, and are well worthy of a visit, being admirably kept, aud it is a sight to see the millions of trees growing to be transplanted out for future forests. The success of the planting is shown by the forests of trees that are well on their way, and the different shades of green add to the beauty of the scene. Of the sights close to Rotorua, Whakarewarewa, Hamurana, Mokoia Island, and the Okere Falls are the easiest to get at. They require only a minimum of exertion, and there is less dust, which is the chief setback to the sight-seeing. Whaka. is only three miles out, and comprises a Maori village with a thermal wonder park. The first item on the programme here is the importunities of half clad Maori kiddies lor permission to dance a penny haka, and then the world-famed bridge-diving by children —of course, ior pennies. No pay, no play. I was told by a resident that some of them make as much as fourteen shillings a day. As they have no pockets their mouth is the purse. We were very fortunate in striking a gala performance of the geysers—four of them playing at once —and Pohutu, the largest, went considerably over its time. There is a Government attendant at this reserve who will readily supply any information, and also the regular guides. Hamurana is at the opposite end of the lake, and can be reached by boat or road. Going by road you skirt the left shore of the lake, and about three miles out you look in at the Fairy Spring, sixpence admission. It is a lovely clear, cold spring, in a wooded dell completely arched in with trees, and full of trout of all sizes, and is well worth the price paid. Ngougotaha is next reached, and the mountain is one of the sights, as the view obtained from here is grand. There is a motor road to the top. About four miles further on Hamurana is reached, and a walk along a stream with wild cherries growing alongside is not to be kicked at, after a hot ride, and, needless to say, those cherries did not have to ask twice. At the head of this stream —about ten minutes’ walk —you get into a boat, and, poling about fifty yards, the spring that feeds the stream is seen. Ti* spring rises in what looks like a small crater, and upon d penny into it, the force ' f '

water rising is seen, as the penny is forced up aud pushed to one side, and is some time reaching the bottom. The hole had a lot of trout in it. There is an afternoon tea room for a needful refresher. The land there should be very suitable for fruit farming ; indeed, all round the shores of the lake should be, and it astonishes one to see how things grow there. There are several dairy farms and a factory round Ngougotaha. . The distance from Rotorua to Tanranga is 57 miles by one route, the Paengaroa, and 42 miles by ■.lie Uoropi. The longer route is he safer one for the amateur driver, as there are some rather severe gorges and gradients by the I.'oropi route, and also going via

Paengaroa you go round the right 'bore of Bake Rotorua, and cross over the Ohau channel, which connects Rotorua and Rotoiti together, and where there are some pretty spots to see. Also Okere Falls, where the power station generates the electric light for Rotorua, is well worth the visit, the river scenery being very fine. Leaving Okere you get several glimpses ot Lake Rotoiti. The road is good for pumice, and the grades not too stiff. Passing through several stretches of bush, about 25 miles, the road has reached the top of the ranges that separate the Bay of Plenty from Rotorua, aud a very fine view is obtained of the Bay, the moutains that shelter Tauranga, right down to Matata. In the distance, White Island can be seen if the weather is clear enough. We were fortunate enough to have a clear view. Gradually descending, civilisation, in the shape of dairy farms, is met with, and the quality of the land improves, although the fern is still in evidence, and is apparently hard to get rid ot. A few miles, and Paengaroa is reached. This is the junction of the Rotorua, Tauranga and Matata coach routes, where the coaches exchange mails, passengers and goods, and consists of two accommodation houses, blacksmith's, butcher’s, and two banks which open for one hour per week. This is a big dairying district, and also maize is largely cultivated. The Tauranga railway has reached this point (25 miles), and will be a great help to that part of the district when communication is opened up with Tauranga. At present the railway finishes at Mount Monganui, the opposite side of the harbour at Tauranga.

There is a nice little run of five miles to Maketu, where there is a fine hotel and glorious sea bathing, which is largely patronised. The Native element is very strong here, in fact the cream waggon is driven by a burly native.