INTERESTING MOTOR TRIP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1359, 11 February 1915, Page 4

INTERESTING MOTOR TRIP.

TAURANGA TO OPOTIKI—--10(i MITES.

[By G.0.8.]

(Continued.) This road follows the sea coast nearly all the way down, and you return to Paengaroa, via Te Puke, on the Rotorua road. Leaving Paengaroa, one is surprised at the amount of dairying carried on, as the first fifteen miles seems to be all dairy farms, mixed withjmaizegrowiug. Two creameries are passed, and both seem to be doing good business. The country is all light, fern and grass being equally mixed, and I think that green manuring would materially help the ground. It is all undulating, and one wonders what carved out the gullies in the pumice, some of them being of considerable depth. After a time the road makes a sudden detour, ans we find ourselves on the sea beach, the running under high cliffs covered with Pohutukawa trees, and considering the friable nature of the soil the marvel is how these big trees hold on, as they are growing out at all heights. The scene \yas perfect; the sea ealm, out in the bay two sailing cralt going on their way, and in the distance White Island with its pall of smoke, and behind us the mount at Tauranga. The road follows the sea for about eight or ten 1

miles, and is very good. Matata was soon reached, and we were surprised to see such a pretty place. The quality of the land is considerably better, being of a swampy nature. The village is chiefly Maori, and is noted for the number of churches. Of the Main 'street, the least said the soonest forgotten. The business portion of the town consists of an hotel and two or three stores. Turning off here, the road strikes inland for some miles to skirt round the big swamp, and a mile or so out the familiar pumice, such as one finds round Taupo, is met with, and the roads are very heavy. The scenery here is very interesting, every turn of the road is enjoyed, and in the distance, like a gigantic signpost, Mt. Edgecombe is seen.

Te Teko is the next stop, and the guide book says twenty-five miles—and they were about the' longest miles we experienced, the state of the roads precluding any fast travelling. About two miles out from Te Teko the Rangataiki swamp is crossed, and there is a sudden transformation of the scenery, crops taking the place of manuka and pumice. Here we saw the best crops of oats seen throughout the trip, averaging a good three tons to the acre. Te Teko consists of an hotel, store and coaching stable, and is situated on the banks of the Rangataiki river ; in fact, the hotel overlooks the river-bank, and is prettily situated, large weeping l willows growing on each bank. A bridge is in course of erection, but is not finished, so by the punt is the only means of crossing. A good dinner was heartily appreciated, and a start made for Whakatane— 14 miles. This part of the journey was most interesting. being round the big swamp. Here the big drainage works are being carried out, and it is astonishing how the land has so quickly responded to the action of the drains—here are fine homesteads now, situated on what was previously a quivering morass. The district is also well settled, houses contintnlly right into Whakatane. The stock everywhere looked splendid. The roads are very dusty, no metal being used, and until we reached the outskirts of Whakatane no metal was met with —except in Tauranga practically from Napier. Whakatane is a town with a suburb. The business part ot the town is built under the hills, facing the sea, and is very narrow, there being only 100 m for one street. The residential portion is on the flat that is the finishing part of the level country of the Bay of Plenty. From there through to Opotiki. East Cape, and right down to Napier, is all mountains, which extend right across to the back of Feilding and Palmerston N. Whakatane is bright and prosperous, suffering only from communications. The rive; bjug shallow, the boats are unable to come into the wharf,

and Hghteis are used. It is always pleasant to see faces that one knows in these strange places, and when I saw Mr W. Norman, late manager at Te Opakete, Ltd.’s flaxmill, it seemed like a whiff of B'oxton. It was a mutual surprise, and on enquiry I found that Mr Norman was still interested in flax, having two mills running outside Wbakataue. There are two roads to Opotiki from here, one down the coast and the other further inland. On making enquiries, we were advised to take the inland route through Tane Aina and Wairaana as being the best gobig and prettiest route. I can heat lily endorse it, 100. The road was very nearly ferfect right through to Tane Atua, some thirteen miles, and through s> me of the best country in the chsnict. Dairying is the princ’pal busiue-v and the country is closely setthi:. Tane Atua is a very nice little township, and has a big future before it, being on the border of the Uri Wera country, which is noted for its quality. Pulling-up at the principal store to make enquiries as to the road, a shock was experienced by seeing Mrs R. Essex, late of Palmerston North, running the business. This caused a delay of an hour, pleasantly spent over the tea tray and prosecuting and answering enquiries, Mrs Essex had made the same trip as ourselves, but drove from Levin in a gig with her neice. Leaving Tane Atua for Waimana, the road goes through a gorge in the hills, similar to the Manawatu Gorge, and we had a very pleasant run. Being in the afternoon, the fiery heat ot the sun bad declined, and the travelling was ever so much better. Waimana is a very large valley, and the land is very good. There is a sawmill there, and the timber must be of first-class quality, judging by the logs seen at the mill. The valley runs down very nearly to the sea, but narrows as it goes down. A pleasant run of about an hour from Waimana and Opotiki is reached just In time for tea.