A ROUND TRIP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 6 May 1925, Page 3

A ROUND TRIP

CANTERBURY MOTORIST’S TOUR

Mr A. C. Harris, a Christchurch motorist, lias supplied “Roadster,” of the Christchurch Press, with particulars concerning a trip recently made by him to the West Coast and back to Christchurch, by way of Nelson. Blenheim, anti the East Coast.

Taking his car to Springfield he had it trucked there to Otira, motoring through the same day to Hokitika over a good road. The next day he took a run out to Ivanieri, a distance of 12 miles, finding the road in excellent condition. . The road to Rimu Flat, however, was a long way from perfect, and he was pleased that it was only three miles in length. He had. no fault to find with the highway between Hokitika and Greymouth, except when traversing Sandy’s Hill, near Kuniara, where loose stones were responsible for a certain amount of discomfort.

He was pleased with the run from Greymouth to Punakaikai, a distance of 30 miles over a splendid surface. This road contains a number of sharp bends, but although it is on the narrow side there are numerous portions of it where two cars can pass each other without difficulty. In his opinion it is a trip ■which can be undertaken without fear by the average motorist. Tile only rough portion of road between Greymouth and Murchison "encountered by him was a stretch of about four miles near the Inangahua Junction, this being the roughest- portion of the whole "ound trip. Tt- presents no difficulty, however, if taken slowly and steadily.

Crossing the Hope Saddle, near Glenhope Hie surface, he states, is good, but- there are some deep ruts to be negotiated at the corners and bends, due to tbe traffic o_f service ears and motor lorries. In the "Motupiko Valley, the roads are as level as the proverbial billiard table. The Spooner Range, tbe sternest pull on the whole trip is in a similar state to the Hope Saddle. The -same remark applies fit the road on the Rai Saddle. Otherwise the roads right down to Kaikoura are all that a motorist could desire. The roads in Canterbury Province, lie considers, are in a much more broken and uneven state than any on the Coast or in the Nelson and Marlborough districts. Tlie general impression among motorists is that Hie trip is a difficult one for the ordinary driver, but Mr Harris considers that no average motorist has reason to be afraid of it. As an instance of this, he states that his car. which is a Continental make of 10-15 h.p., did the trip with a- full load of four pa-sengers, without it being necessary to replenish the water in the radiator after leaving Christchurch. Owing to tlie state of the roads and the rivers between Springfield and Otira-, he would adivse motorists contemplating a. trip to the West Coast, t-o truck their cars at the Canterbury station mentioned.