Rough Motoring. FROM AUCKLAND TO PALMERSTON NORTH.

Progress, Volume II, Issue 6, 1 April 1907, Page 226

Rough Motoring. FROM AUCKLAND TO PALMERSTON NORTH.

Mr. W. L. Luxford, of Hamilton, who accompanied the contestants in the recent reliability run from Auckland to Wellington as referee, has just made the journey south by way of the west coast. It was an experience. Leaving Auckland before the flocds had fully subsided, he found that the run to Hamilton, eighty miles, occupied the whole day, instead of the usual five hours. In many places wash-outs had to be crossed with the greatest care. The Razorback Hills were washed out in channels, and the surface was much like a stony river bed. As he descended

into the lower country, along the Waikato river, the roads were in many places covered with water, slush, and debris, for many chains at a stretch. In one portion of the water-covered road a culvert had been washed out Into this invisible ditch the motor car plunged ; but it managed to wriggle through. The stench from the recently flooded country was anything but pleasant. The very bad roads ended at Taupiri, and a pleasant run was made to Hamilton. The second day's run was commenced at 4 a.m. There were good roads to Otorohanga, forty miles, which was reached at 7 o'clock. A great feature of this part of the journey was the number of rabbits on the road about Ohaupo and Te Awamutu. They .vere in thousands, and the car ran over several. From Otorohanga to Te Kmti (fourteen miles) a road has lately been formed, but the motorists were told that for ten miles it was blocked by slips, and was quite impassable. Nothing daunted, they decided to try an old Maori track over two swamps and some five miles of fern ridges. At each of the swamps the " emergency gear "—" — wire rope and block and tackle — had to be used to haul the car through But by dint of hard work Te Kuiti was reached at noon Hitherto the road followed the Mam Trunk railway ; but at Te Kuiti it left civilisation and went west to Awakino (fifty miles) on the coast, four miles north of Mokau. Leaving Te Kuiti at 12 15 p.m. fairly good loads favoured the motorists for about fifteen miles. The country is of a limestone formation is very hilly, but in places shows good grass. The remaining thirty-five miles of road is only fit for bullock-dray traffic. It is formed, but neglected. For miles as one ascended some of the hills, the sensation in the car was similar to that of going up a long flight of steps. Then for a few miles a variation would be met with in the shape of loose flags of limestone, some a foot thick, lying at every conceivable angle, and forming wedge shaped holes m which every now and then the wheels would get jammed. The country here is a succession of razor back ridges covered with very poor bush, some of which has been cleared and is carrying sheep The mustering of these sheep must evidently be carried out by a special kind of man and special kind of dog ; for it seems an impossible feat for ordinary mortals. But to return to our motorists. After being so shaken that every bone in their bodies ached, they reached Awakino at 6 p.m., and thoroughly enjoyed the accommodation provided at the boarding house at the mouth of the river. The one redeeming feaure of the road from Te Kuiti to Awakino is the varied and grand scenery which meets the view, and if the roads were put in order for summer traffic it would be a favourite route for tourists. The third day's run was to New Plymouth (60 miles) There heavy rain compelled a rest. The road from Awakino to Mokau has lately been formed inland, doing away with the heavy sandy beach. The Mokau river is crossed in a punt, and very good unmetalled roads over hilly country, with magnificent views and occasional glimpses of the ocean, brought the travellers to Urenui. Thence to New Plymouth they found splendid metalled roads through well settled farming country — and one 2s. 6d. toll-gate The fourth day's journey was made against a strong head-wind to Palmerston,

through country that is too well known to need description. Mr. Luxford is of opinion that with a comparatively small expenditure on the roads, the journey from Palmerbton to Auckland could easily be accomplished, without any unreasonable speed, in three days, and would be preferable to the Napier route, where an altitude of 2800 ft. is crossed several times. On the West Coast route the highest reading of his aneroid showed only 1200 ft.