ROAD GOSSIP

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 456, 11 September 1928, Page 14

ROAD GOSSIP

THAMES TO TE KUITI VIA PAEROA, TE AROHA, | MOFCRINSVILLE, HAMIL- | TON AND TE AWAMUTU. |

DESCRIBED BY IWANTA From Thames to Hamilton Is almost a flat run, as nowhere does the road rise more than 200 feet above sea level. From the first few miles out of Thames, through Kopu, Hikutaia, and to Puriri, the road is tar-sealed practically all the way. The country here is very pretty and the road undulating, which makes very pleasant driving, as the small hill climbs are glided over without any gear changing. Mount Te Aroha away ahead in the distance gives the traveller a good bump of locality, as the road lies in a direct line to this mountain. PAEROA TO TE AROHA Nearing Paeroa the road becomes rougher and more brimby but this often applies to roads nearer the towns after recent wet weather. The new Paeroa Bridge is completed at the site near the old bridge. It was intended that this bride should be built straight opposite where main .road enters Paeroa, and would thus have done away with two turnings in the main road. The worst stretch of this road is for a few miles after leaving Paeroa, but further on at Tirohia graders are busy and the road shows signs of improvement. TE AROHA TO MORRINSViLLE As with Paeroa, the approach to Te Aroha is very rough and it is quite pleasant when one is traveling along the tarred road again into the main street of Te Aroha. The* new bridge over the river here is now completed, and is a very fine structure. For the first few miles out of here the road is very good, and graders are busy all the way along to Morrinsville. There are one or two very bad railway crossings along this route, notably one before Piako is reached —the trees which appear to be growing on railway property partly obstruct the view and are likely to confuse drivers. MORRINSVILLE TO HAMILTON A good tarred surface is reached approaching Morrinsville, and from now on the road becomes almost a flat run, and although showing signs of wear from recent rains, graders will no doubt make this good. After leaving Eureka, surface is partly tarred, and approaching Hamilton is all that could be desired. HAMILTON TO TE AWAMUTU From Hamilton through Ohaupo to Te Awamutu was always a very bumpy stretch of road, but this particular part now shows signs of great improvement. The good surface now prevailing makes this very pleasant driving, as some very pretty views may be had of surrounding country, with Mount Mangatoutiri forming a background away across to the left, and Pirongia Mountain on the right, while nearing Te Awamutu a nearer view of Kaepuku (an extinct volcano). Quite a good road through Te Awamutu and Kihikihi. TE AWAMUTU TO TE KUITI There is a very nasty turn on to the old bridge a mile past here, but if looks are anything this will no doubt bo done away with in the near future, in the building of a new bridge. From here on to Otorohanga Road shows very little sign of improvement., and this is no doubt caused by coarse metal which is still being used on this road, as graders cannot work on this surface with any satisfaction before a liberal coat of finer metal is used. There is a railway crossing into and out of Otorohanga, and probably in the near future the main road will keep to the left of railway and thus avoid these two crossings. ’ On to Hangatiki roads are fair, and the flat run on to Te Kuiti is now all metalled, thus doing away with a tortuous hill climb. A hint to railway authorities, now that this is to become a much used road, might not be out of season regarding this railway crossing at Hangatiki, as the sight of approaching trains travelling south is obscured by the hill. The road into Waitomo Caves is fair considering this time of the year, but the most important improvement along this route is no doubt the metalling of the Te Kumi Road on to Te Kuiti, and will be welcomed by all motorists who have occasion to travel this way. Just how far the hand throttle should be opendd to aid the starting process seems quite a problem to many drivers. Some err on the side of penury, others on the side of generosity. Either is wrong, for in the first case the engine does not start, in the second it runs too rapidly when it does turn over. The throttle should 9 be set at that point where, operating in connection with the accelerator it depresses the latter slightly. This specification fits . virtually every case.