MOTORING IN WINTER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 48, 31 May 1916, Page 7

MOTORING IN WINTER.

TRIP THROUGH THE QAGK-

BLOCKS.

The Taumanuuil roads are not .specially sniied to motor traine, out on

W ednesUay weew la.-t Air liert Aieyeufierg took a party to Sxrattord m Ins Cadillac touring car, returning a week later. One of the party writes as follows of the trip: “Starting from 'I aiimarunui at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, we arrived at Alatiere in time for dinner. As far as the tunnel the road is rough pumice, hut the going is fair. At Okahukura the construction of the ferro-concrete railway bridge is being pushed on steadily. A threc-miie climb brought u,s to the top of the Okahukura saddle, where we enjoyed a good view of the mountains. The road here is being metalled and should sooii he in good condition. From Matiere a run of eleven or twelve miles took us past Niho Niho to Ohura, about half of this road is metalled and in a very smooth condition. After halving this small township the road winds to the south-west through fairly hilly country. Another run of ten miles over undulating country and by roads that are narrow and subject to slips, with a. steep climb of a couple of miles to the saddle, brought us to the entrance of the Tangarakau Gorge. The scenery here is very beautiful and reminds one of parts of the Wanganui River above Pipiriki, with its precipitous cliffs covered with ferns and other foliage. The road winds through tho gorge for eleven miles, the Tangarakau and its tributaries, being crossed by four different bridges. From the gorge the road :s hilly for a few miles till the flat is reached. Here wo again met with the railway construction works and met with our greatest difficulty on tho whole trip. . The;, road .had just been ploughed up preparatory to being iaseined, and as ft. had been raining a few day’s previously, the, result may he imagined. The chains were filled to the wheels. We had to procure shovels and dig the wheels out, pack them uj), and place plunks beneath. After getting through here we tackled the Tahora hill with a clay surface something like putty. This proved almost too much for ns, but after “sticking” it till well after midnight, wc reached Tahora. We wore fortunate in mooting a friend -tore, and a halt was made lor tea, or rather, early breakfast. A rim of eight nudes from there brought ns to Whangamomona, a small village surrounded by lulls. : flu’s evidently marks the boundary of the King Country, as here we encountered the first licensei? hotel on tho route. Leaving at 0 a.m. we sot out on the last stage of the journey—forty miles more;,to Stratford.' ‘ The ■ first few -miles took ns! over The unost winding Hill we had yet encountered, and as the turns werK "vorvo sharp s and the road none too wide, strict vigilance was, necessary at the wheel. Once over the saddle QIOB ft A tho rones " 010 fairly good, improving as wo went on, and wo caught our first glimpse of Alt. figment. We followed the railway lines most of the way from there, passing through Pohokura, Strathmore, Douglas, Toko, and arriving at Stratford at 9 a.m. The return journey was begun on the following Wednesday, the actual travelling time being 12 hours for the 120 miles, the night being passed at Whangamomona.