The King Country as a Tourist Resort.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 247, 17 November 1903, Page 4

The King Country as a Tourist Resort.

("Settler" in N.Z. Hecald.) Now that the Ongarue-Stratford Road and. the Waimarino Forest are , well within reach as tourist routes, it will not be out of place to give some information which will not only be useful to holiday aeekers, but help in some measure to attract attention to the goodly heritage which we possess, that our people may be induced to see for themselves what a valuable territory is available for settlement ; that they nmy realise what a riiinous policy this is of settlement many years in advance of roads-a no-roads policy—which the country has been following for so long ; that they may understand from personal knowledge that without a policy of roads in advance of, or keeping pace with, settlement, the colony is simply •blundering along, decade after decade, like the 'backblocks settler, up to the neck in a -qjuagmire. There is no doubt that the Onga-rue-Stratford Koad will take its place as a tourist route with the show grounds of the colony ; partly from the charming scenery along its route, and partly from the i.i-t that it connects most conveniently with other routes—a glance at the map will show. The round trip, Ongnrue to Stratford, and New Plymoutn.anct the Mokau-Awakino Road 10 Tokeriti, would give a most inteiesting holiday ramble, and one which should include a run up the Mokau River, The Coal Mines Company have completed arrangements to place a new steamer on the river, which will have comfortable accommodation 1 for passengers ; the steamer could bo joined at the Mokau Heads after the land journey from Waitara, thus avoiding the short sea trip. Then there is the connection with the Wanganui River at the Tangarakau branch, about 60 miles from Ongarue. Messrs Hatrick intend that t'heir river steamer service BWall, this season, reach Taumaranui,. 10 miles south of Ongarue, where the Main Trunk will open' to soon. A delightful trip vill be from Ongarue to Stratford, and on to Wanganui by rail, returning by the river to Taumaranui, or to Pipi-ri-ki, and then to Lake Taupo and Rotorua. Then there is the road in prospect from Tokaanu, at the foot of 'Lake Taupo, to connect with Taumaranui, which \vill gjve a view of the Waimarino forest. j But the chief attraction of the On-garue-Stratford rout® is centred, as a practically untrodden path, In the Ohura and Whangamomona valleys. The Ohiura is a sluggish stream canoeable for at least 80 miles of its course, the surrounding country being particularly attractive, and capable of affoi'diiig magnificently extended views, the open fern country tteing in the 'proportion of about 10 per cent, to the heavily tilabered land. For a distance of quite seven miles from its junction with the W-anga-nui there was a series of rapids and waterfalls. From the Ohura Valley the road crosses a saddle into the valley of the Tan-garakau, and about 54 miles from Ongarue is the Tangiarakau Gorge, a grand piece of scenery, and alone worth the journey. About 70 miles from Ongarue, and 42 miles from Stratford Is the Whawgamomona township, to where the bi-weekly coach runs-from Stratford, and there the tourist will find one of the most comfortable coantry 'hotels in New Zealand. It is well managed by Mr F. Calgher ; in fact, is run with the intention of providing best accommodation for tourists and holiday-seejters. Within a few chains are first-class livery stables belonging to Messrs J. J. White and Son. Messrs White are the mail contractors and coach' proprietors of the Stratford coach service. They have given the Tourist Department a scale of charges for the through trip either way, and undertaken to meet parties at Ongarue at the shortest possible notice. The distance from Ongarue to Whamgiamomona, 70 miles, can easily be covered in two days, making a stage at Mangaroa township reserve, 28 miles from Ongarue, where there is Messrs Williams' store and small accommodation house. The Ohura V-alley is well worth a day or two, and holiday markers are recommended to make that a part of their programme, ami also to allow themselves enough time to look round at Whangamomona. From Whangamomona to Stratford there is tne biweekly coach. The journey is most Interesting, through a more or less settled country, giving a fair idea of Taranaki backblocks.

To the New Zealand- colonist the Ongiarue-Stratford route has this 1 interest, that in the Ohura Valley and adjoining' there are close on 200000 acres, either under offer for settlement, or under survey, and to In? thrown open in the coming months, all averaging from excellent to good, with patches of inferior—a tract of country with a tremendous future ; a country fcliat has been overlooked, neglected, and even "branded as valueless to within a year s time. And away to the eaet r,™ he Wan « anui River, there are 100,000 acres of the Waimarino forest under survey ,or settlement, than which there is no finer land in New Zealand. The forest can be reached from Taumaranui ; indeed, one day's exoorsion from Ongarue would afford a lOiOk at the bush. Piriaka, four miles from Taumaranui, where fair accommodation and horses can be obtained, is just on the borders. Should th» tourist fancy a rid« through the forest to the Watmari«o Plains, and on to Raetihi, 45 miles from Piriaka, he can manage it, and will be amply rewarded by a changing scene of river, mountain, and gorge scenery equal to anything on the planet—t'he views of Rtmpehu and Ngauruhoe are finer than from any other point of vantage. At Raetihi the traveller is on the main coach rood bforowgih the centre of tlw island.