THROUGH THE OHURA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 180, 29 January 1914, Page 4

THROUGH THE OHURA.

RKTI'HV OF UIAMiIEK w t'UMMEItCK I'AKTY.

At about noon yesterday the Chamber of Commerce party returned from their vi»ii t„ the Ulmra. Fine weather prevailed throughout, and the trip proved as enjoyable as it wan instru ~ .tivc. lie, party set out on Sunday morning, an,! counted of .Messrs. C 11. ""W**, Xewum King, S. W. Shaw, A. K Sykcs, .1. l'aton. and T. C. Ust,'together with Messrs. H. Okev and C. K. Wilson, M's.l'.

■the hist halt was made at Mr Bower 1 , on the Okan Head, where luncheon was partaken of, and at Kotare, about !■' miles up tb' road, the. motor-cars wenleft and horses requisitioned. These liad been specially and (fratultoiwly , lirovued by Air A. Jmgenson, wl.o, with Mr (,eo. Ooldsworthv, was there to meet (he parly and pilot them throual. the district, „„,! rnpitnl pilots they proved. After an interesting journev, Mr llageiisnn's farm at Wiwtaanjpi was reached, and a halt made for tt BMom i llllielieon, which did not go amiss by any means, ami at four o'clock the party set out for Olmra, distant some further fonrleeii miles or so over countrv whica was particularly inleresting. The capital town of the Ohitni was reached at seven o'clock. Next d«v the party were tiikeu in band l.y 'several ioadiuj; settlers, and journeyed to Matiere, ten miles northward of Obura township,'a ditl'erent return route beinsr chosen in order to .five (he visitors nil idea of the ' nature of the eonutrv.

On Monday evening, the party wer« tlic quests uf tl„. l o cal .settlers at * buiiqiu-t. There was a large attendance, and a most cnjovable evening was spent. Tlie. cliit-t toast was <,,. spomlrd to l)y Mr .Vewlon King, who made a very line speech. Xext dav tin* ])arty were (lri.-p.ii by the settlers to--I'atn. and on to Tnkirinu Valley, wlU"« from an eminence a snlendid "view of the surrounding countr\- was obtained. After luncheon at Mr Herbert Craven's tlie party retraced (heir stcp<) to Tat.i! and proceeded homeward via the Tangirakiui and Moki road, which waa reached at about five o'clock. The party Mere accommodated for the night at the homes of different settlers, and next morning (yesterday) an early start was made for homo. This stage of tlie journey proved very interesting. <fV Moki was left at a point about four miles from it. junction-with the main road and the licrckapa was taken down to the Kiwi track, which opens on to the I'ongapnruln-Mnngaroa road,.about two miles below Kotare, where th<> motors were ui readiness.. The thrcj hom>' ride throiij.il this beautiful country will long |„. i-membercd. From a scenic point of view, it is doubtful if 'laranaki has a greater asset than the Kiwi (forge, but of this ami oflier features of the trip more anon. The party were most hospitably treated throughout, the conditioim' were ideal, the country passed through was most inleresiin..r. and every member of the parly tva« genuiitclr sorrv when the trip came to an end. Mr C.'k. Wilson stayed h«hiud at Ohnra: where be is attending the show which takes pl a c« today and Mr ft, ton went on to Auckland.