Australians’ Tour of 1,700 Miles in N.Z.

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 296, 6 March 1928, Page 6

Australians’ Tour of 1,700 Miles in N.Z.

Mto to rists A ttracted to Our Scenic Charms

We have heard of overseas visitors who spend a few days seeing some corner of New Zealand and leave after condemning our roads and poor accommodation. It is a pleasure, therefore, to find two motorists who made a lengthy tour of the country and are so charmed that they plan to return.

Mr. H. J. Robertson, treasurer of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, accompanied by his wife, made a lightning tour of New Zealand during the last Christmas and New Year holiday period. Mrs. Robertson is president of the Women’s Automobile Club, and has published in the last

issue of “The Car,” a Melbourne motoring journal, a full account of their trip. The article is profusely illustrated with photos taken at Whakarewa, Mt. Cook Hermitage, etc., and refers at length to the main features and beauty spots of every place visited. The following excerpts merely describe the route taken and the time spent in travelling. “Having booked our passage to return on January 13, our time was limited to a period of 17 days in which to tour as much of the North and South Islands as possible. My husband and I decided upon the plan of procuring a car and chauffeur. This added much to the enjoyment of our trip, especially as the driver was well acquainted with the beauty spots, and all places of interest, and had a thorough knowledge of the roads. “On Friday morning, December 30, we left Auckland and reached Rotorua at 6 o’clock in the evening, after a charming drive. (Mrs. Robertson

adds an enthusiastic note of praise about Rotorua, the Government Spa, and the surrounding wonders.) LeavRotorua early in the morning, we arrived at Wairakei in time for lunch. After spending a day among the wonders at Wairakei we motored on to Napier, passing en route Lake Taupo. A night was spent at Napier, leaving next day for Palmerston North, particularly enjoying the drive through rich pastoral country reminiscent of Australia, although much greener. The New’ Zealander, accustomed to good rainfalls, is pessimistic if a dry fortnight passes, and, if his grass is , not 18 inches to two feet high, fears of impending drought loom before him. “The evening was spent in Palmerston North, and in the morning w r e motored to Wellington, securing excellent views of Cook Strait.” The visitors enjoyed a run round

the pretty bays near Wellington, left for Christchurch by the Maori, motoring to Christchurch from Lyttelton. They were charmed with Christchurch, which appealed to them more than any other town. However, to continue Mrs. Robertson’s story: “We could not linger, so left Christchurch behind us at 9.30 a.m., stopping at Geraldine for lunch. The next stop was at Mount Cook Hermitage for dinner, making 220 miles driving for the day. Next morning we drove from Mount Cook to Pembroke, reaching there in the evening. For the first time the roads were bad, but the approach to Lake Wanaka and the surrounding scenery made it well worth while. From here we passed on to Queenstown, through the Cadrona Valley, where the car climbed a gradual ascent of 4,000 ft. Had our time not been so limited w r e should have dallied by the way, enjoying the scenes of this district. As it was, we had to leave for Dunedin a day earlier than we hoped. The next part of the journey w*as made through Cromwell and Roxburgh to Dunedin, which was reached at 6 p.m. “My husband and I felt quite proud of having achieved such a delightful run of 1,700 miles without any car trouble.” Airs. Robertson adds her appreciation of the hospitality of New Zealanders, and her delight at the variety of the scenery* In her opinion tho roads are in excellent condition. Finally, she says that “-we enjoyed ourselves so well, finding comfort good and tariff reasonable, that we eagerly look forward to visiting New Zealand again in the near future, and seeing those sections which lack of time prevented us from visiting this tour. Africa’s great North Road extends from Arusha to Johannesburg, a distance of 2,923 miles. A combined motor-car and fashion show has just been held in Shanghai, the latest models in cars and creations in ladies’ dresses being displayed.