WAIKATO MOTORISTS ON TOUR

Shannon News, 16 February 1923, Page 3

WAIKATO MOTORISTS ON TOUR

A .visitor to. this district this week was 'Mr F. Better, formerly of Levin, who with Mrs Retter, daughter and son-in-law (Mr and Mrs Blackburn) are on a motor tour of the lower portion of-the North Island, and' alter going south to Wellington will “double the cape’,’ and return via the East Coast to their home in Hamilton.

Mr Retter stated they left Hamilton at the beginning of the month, travelling to Te Kuiti via 'Mount Messenger, where the road was found in pretty rough condition. A deviation was being put. in the worst, portion, and this would be ready in a f ew months. From Te Kuiti the party went across to the West Coast to Awakiiio-, and then down to New Plymouth, Hawera, Wanganui, and on to Levin, which was reached yesterday. The country, in the coast districts particularly, was looking well owing to the exceptional season experienced. The Taranaki roads were in fine order, and tlie travelling greatly enjoyed. Mr Retter remarked on the number of touring parties met on the road, and said motor holidaying seemed to be becoming very popular - .

Hamilton ■ was making great progress, he said, and a big scheme of improving was to be taken in hand, by which loan monies to the extent of £140,000 would be spent in public works in the next two or three years, which would make for still further advancement. The dairy industry was a; big factor in the development of the Waikato district, of Which Hamilton was the centre. The New Zealand Dairy Company, which has its head office in Hamilton, showed an increase of 23 per cent in output this season over last, notwithstanding that four oilier companies were operating this year that were not in-> existence last year. The company expected to manufacture 22,000 tons of butter this season, in addition to cheese, casein and milk powder. One of the company’s factories situated at Waharoa turned out recently 20 tons 6cwt of butter in one day. Sub-division- and close settlement were proving a good thing by increasing production, which in turn made for greater prosperity. The land was of good quality, generally speaking, but the top-dressing of pastures was largely gone in for by dairymen, and it paid handsomely by increased returns. The town of Hamilton was already supplied with electric lighting from Horahora, and it had a steam stand-by plant in case of emergency.