TANGARAKAU.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 October 1922, Page 5

TANGARAKAU.

• THE BEAUTIFUL FALLS. At last night’s meeting of the New Plymouth Tourist and Expansion League, the following letter was received from Mr. W. G. Bonner, of the Tangarakau Gorge: I have now been in the Gorge two sea sons, and I have spoken to many of the tourists and travellers, from Canada and other places, who have gone through it, and their opinions are: “The place ought to be boomed more;” “It’s well worth a visit;” “Never seen any scenery to equal -it;” and so on. By motor, it is not far distant from New Plymouth, being 55 miles from Stratford to the entrance of the Gorge. That is about 85 miles from New Plymouth. My section (I have taken up a bush sec tion here under the Discharged Soldiers’ S.S.) is right in the Gorge, 63 mibs from Stratford, but it might interest you to know that I have had the Taranaki morning paper given me by tourists when they have stopped at our tent for afternoon tea. Another scenic beauty that few people have seen is the Tangarakau Falls. These falls are about nine miles up the river from where it leaves the Stratford-Ohura main road (entrance to this section), and could be made accessible by a good track being cut through the bush. They are right in the heart of the bush, if one might use that expression; for there is about 45,000 acres of standing bush behind the Tangarakau, and, as I say, the Falls are nine miles in the bush. But they are well worth a visit. There is a fair volume of water —which comes over a wide, semi-cir cular bluff—which has a clear fall of 175 feet. It is possible to get in behind the Falls, between the water and the bluff; so you can imagine what fine photographs coqld be obtained. If the Tourist Department would go to the expense, I would undertake to cut a track to the Falls, and later, when the place became more known, would conduct parties there. At the request of many people who use the Gorge in the summer-time, my wife is opening small tea-rooms on the corner of the road here (junction of Tangarakau, Stratford-Ohura Road), so that will be a benefit for the tourists this season. We had a resident of New Plymouth and his wife here last week. It was their first trip through the Gorge, but, unfortunately, they got bogged at the ford. We were able to make them comfortable for the night (having just got our house fin ished), and next morning got the car out, and they made Ohura. Of course the road is hardly open to traffic yet, but there is much talk of meta’.. If this comes about, then a lot of traffic would come this way, were the place given the publicity it deserves. I should be pleased to know if the New Plymouth Expansion and Tourist League would do what they can to bring this matter before Mr. Bayfield. The chairman (Mr. T. C. List) said he had replied that the beauty and attractiveness of the Tangarakau Gorge had been represented to the Government Tourist Of ficer (Mr. Bayfield) when he was here recently, but until the Government proceeded with the metalling of the Gorge road, this fine scenic resource could not be included in the itineraries prepared by the Tourist Department. He also mentioned that Gibson’s Motors were planning to make trips to the Tangarakau during the summer i at excursion rates. Members spoke very highly of the Tangarakau, and thought it had a big future before it. The trouble at present was the bad road. It was suggested by a member that the ' executive of the league should endeavor to view the Gorge and Falls at an early date, and it was decided to carry out the ideu, as well as to ascertain from the Commissioner of Crown Lands if the Falls and adjacent bush scenery were reserved for scenic purposes. Mr. Bonner is to be. thanked for bringing the matter under the notice of the league and for showing the enterprise he is in endavoring to exploit what was generally agreed was a great asset to the .