ONE TREE HILL AVENUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 2 September 1926, Page 10

ONE TREE HILL AVENUE.

SIB JOHN CAMPBELL'S DREAM. A HOME ON THE HELL. An avenue of trees from Manukau Road, right up to the splendid terrace on which now stands the tea kiosk; that was the dream of Sir John Logan Campbell. On that terrace he always intended to build a house, and there he intended to spend the evening of his life. What changed his mind he never said, but, as all Auckland knows, he lived for many years, and died at "Kilbryde," the fine old mansion that used to stand on Campbell's Point. Unfortunately, we live in a utilitarian age, and both mansion and point have now disappeared. Sir John always had a soft- spot in his heart for Maungakiekie. Before Auckland was Auckland, in fact before the land for it was bought from the Orakei Maoris. Sir John and his partner. Mr. Brown, who had lately come up from Coromandel way, and settled at Brown's Island, one day made an excursion which included the ascent of Maungakiekie. At that time there was a single tree on the top, and the two pakehas called it One Tree Hill. The view then was glorious, and even to-day it appeals to many people as being more satisfying than the wonderful panorama from Mount Eden.

Like all great men, Sir.John Campbell was fond of wide prospects, and when he looked out on the splendid view over the eunlit, island-studded Hauraki, he decided that one day he would make a home there. His dream included a park and an avenue of trees over a mile long from Manukau Road right up to the terrace. Systematically he went to work and planted' the trees between which the visitor now drives to the summit when he enters from Manukau Road. When, in 1901, Sir John gave this splendid area to the people of Auckland as a park, the road naturally followed the line of his projected drive, but latterly changes have been rendered necessary, and the road line will have to be altered. It is intended the new road shall lead from the statue of the donor of the park instead of from the side, as at present, and further on there will be some other deviations from the present. line.

Many of the old macrocarpa trees planted by Sir John have been getting rather decrepit, and those that run along the boundary of the Trotting Club property and the Showground have been condemned as a source of danger, as no one could tell when they would fall. The new road will, of course, be planted with trees on each side, and in time it will have just as impressive an avenue as the old road. This new road will be somewhat to the north of the old road where the- latter enters the park near the statue, and it is intended to plant ornamental shrubs in the space that will be left between the Trotting Club> fence and the new road.