The weather was fine, but a gusty north-easter blew straight down the ground, and was against the registering of fast times. A big contingent of competitors from Invercargill added interest to the events. With a total of 45 points, the Civil Service
Club won the List Championship Banner, University being runners-up with a total of 41 points.
The wonder trip
That the Waipori excursion is indeed the wonder trip of Dunedin, so greatly admired by thousands of visitors this summer, was an opinion heartily endorsed on Saturday by visiting delegates to the Harbour Board conference, who were entertained at the source of the city’s electrical power.
The hosts were the members of the Otago Harbour Board, and with perfect weather promising a delightful day of sightseeing, a large and happy party stepped into the corporation buses at the Early Settlers’ Hall shortly after 9am.
Waipori is now recognised as the foremost scenic trip that Dunedin can offer, and one of the most beautiful excursion spots in Otago, having the decided advantage of being within easy distance of Dunedin and the Exhibition, across the fertile farm lands of the Taieri, into the bush-covered ranges, and up the Waipori Gorge to the power station.
It is an ideal day trip — three hours’ journey over a variety of typical Otago country, followed by several hours of recreation and sightseeing high in the hills.
Leaving the Early Settlers’ Hall, the buses sped out of the city, through the suburbs, and on over the low hills to Outram, where the first brief halt was made. A few minutes’ rest, and the cavalcade was leading across the Taieri, then on to Berwick, at the mouth of Waipori Gorge.
The sun shone brilliantly, but a cool breeze made by the passage of the buses prevented the heat from becoming oppressive and there was nothing to mar the enjoyment of the visitors as the buses commenced the 45 minutes of steady climbing to the site of the power house. Every new stretch opened up a panorama of loveliness. Here the buses wound through the gorge beside a calm,
placid reach of the river flowing through the bush over a smooth shingle bed — there the long line had climbed high into the hills, and far below rushing waters tumbled and foamed over the boulders at the foot of the steep cliff.
Shortly after midday the power station was reached. After luncheon the power house was visited, and a pleasant hour was spent in visiting and admiring the varied beauty spots. The party left for Dunedin at 3.30pm.
On the skids
A few rules concerning skids should always be remembered. The most important is the need for always exercising extra care when driving on greasy roads, particularly at this period of the year. When road surfaces become bad it is necessary to make a careful extra allowance for the changed conditions. So long as you can avoid it neither brake nor accelerate suddenly nor take a sudden
swerve nor steer round a corner quickly; to achieve this it is necessary to look ahead a little further than usual. Finally, keep an eye on the tread of your tyres. — ODT, 7.3.1926
