TOUR OF THE DOMINION.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 January 1916, Page 3

TOUR OF THE DOMINION.

MOTORISTS AND TIIE ROADS. IMPRESSIONS OF TARANAKI. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Jan. 4. Two Otago farmers who have travelled more than 200 miles in a motor-car during the last month arrived in Wellington to-night. They are Messrs E. (1. Barton and E. A. Kempthortic, of Tapanui, who on December 2 Inst started to make a tour of the Dominion by motor, Since that time they have ranged the country as far north as Auckland, traversing many rough and difficult roads where motors are seldom seen, and acquiring a great deal of information that is not to be found in the guide-books. The two southerners mentioned that nfter traversing Otago, Canterbury, Westland, Marlborough, and Nelson, they had journeyed to Rotorua, via Wellington, the Wairarapa district. Hastings, Napier, Gisbornc and Opotiki. The worst portion of the route was between Gisborne and Opotiki, over the Motn River, where the scenery was magnificent but the road was bad and dangerous. "It was no place for an inexperienced driver," said one of the travellers, ofter mentioning razor-backed passes, landslips, water courses and | some of the other difficulties of the way. The roads round Rotorua were unpleasant, too. The motorists proceeded to Auckland via Cambridge and Hamilton, and then came back to tins Mokau district via Te Kuiti. More bad roads were encountered along that route. After proceeding to Waitara and New Plymouth the southerners returned to Wellington, touching most of the important towns en route. One of the impressions they brought back with them was the general progressiveness of the Taranaki towns and local bodies. They found the Taranaki roads wonderfully good and were astonished at the municipal enterprise displayed by comparatively small centres. Messrs Barton and Kempthorne are going to take steamer to Lytteltnn now and then complete their journey home by motor. They are prepared to recommend their plan to any person who wants to get an intimate knowledge of New Zealand. They recommend, too, the use of a good motor-car and plenty of very stout tyres.