ROADS ON THE PORT HILLS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13375, 17 March 1909, Page 5

ROADS ON THE PORT HILLS.

I LAID OUT BY PROVINCIAL COUNj CTL.

| Mr H-. (;. Ell, M.P.. who takes a i keen interest in regard to scenic reserves in and around Christchurch. and is at present devoting attention to the* ■ King Edward VII. drive ami othe*r i roaels on the Port Hills, had some : lather interesting information to imi part to a reporter regarding the* old j roads laid out on tiie hills by the Pro- ! vint-ial Council.

Mr l-.il produced an old plan, prepared hv Captain Mather, which, he said, set forth all the existing pu'dic roads at that lime*. There was the road from Godley He-ad to the Lyttelton Sunnier road ; thence, ou the hills near the summit, to the Sugar Loaf Hill, which was on the left-hand side of Dyer's Pass road, going to Governor's Bay. There was a break in the roael at this point, for it descended tho hill to Victoria Park; but through the recent concession niaelt* by the Cashmere trustees the road had been surveyeel from the Pas>. up the side of tin* Sugar Loaf Hill on a very easy grade—one in fifteen. Here it struck back to the summit on the east sitle. of the Sugar Loaf, thus making tho summit road continuous to this point. From the* Dyer's Pass road ihe Summit road went as far as Kennedy's Bush., whore there was another track covering the ivhole width of the valley. This road hod been surveyed anel grade pegs put in feir tho whole width of the villey and up over the slopes to Cayi's Peak, 1760 feet above* sen level, which is situated on the south side of Kennee'.y's Bush reserve*. On this side* of Case's Peak a road ran half-way down the hill townrels Ixinsdowne. This road branched off southwardii for a short di.star.cc* and then continued towards the summit of the hill through P.hodes's Hush anel then along the summit for about a mile beyond Case's Peak. The road then continued right on down towards Gebbie's Valley.

"Tho purpose I hove in view," saiel Mr Eil, 'is to have the King Eel ware! Drive, or old summit, road, extended from Goe'.ley Head lighthouse right down Gebbie's Valley. "When completed, it will he about sixteen milos in length anel will open up one of the most beautiful drives or walk.s in .Now Zcnkmel. The Citizens' Committee, who have been associated with mc in this connection, are* now in communication with Mr Rhodes and Mr Allen, of Governor's Bay. with a view to arri«--ing at a course for the roael which will meet with tlie views of these gentlemi.'ii. From the southern boundary of Kennedy's Bush reserve* the Government .Surveyor hats flagged out tho ro.id feir about two miles southward, anel if his scheme is aelopted, the* road will pass along the* face* of the hill below Ca*-;.s\s Point, from which position <»no of the most beautiful views anywhere along the* hills ia f> he obtained, especially of Port Cooper."

in regard to other roads on the hills, Mr Ell sairl one had recently been opened by the Morton Estate* trustees, on what was known as Scarborough, freim which a charming view could be obtained. A short road, about a milo | in length, also ran up the hills near I Redclili's. Another road led up to I Mount Pleasant from Andrews' quarry. ! A little to.the southward of tho Ferry | road bridge there was the well-known j Bridle Path, with which the roael from ] Andrews' quarry connected. Then there was the* roael which struck up from Opawa anel connected with the road at the top of the hill nt the back of Rapaki. Between this road anel the Sugar Loaf there was also a road which eonnecteel the one rounel the foot of the hills with the Summit road. Tho next road was the Dyers Pass roael. Tips roael took a dip near Victoria Park road, and the»n inclined sharply near the Summit. But this was to be avoided by cutting the road higher up the side of the hill, for the road would then bo practically level for more than three miles. Passing in around tho foot of the hills there was a roael which , ran up anel round the Cashmere Hills ( for about a mile, known as Wor.sley's ! roid, which was beyond the Cash- | mere homesteatl. This road was i in a very rou_h state, but formerly it eonnecteel with the bush at the ton of the Hoon Hay Valley, anel in the very parly clays much of, the timber which grew in that bush was conveyed to the settlements on tho Plains. Signs of the old tracks that crossed and recrossed the bush alon_; which firewooel and fencing material were conveyed were still to be seen. In this bush, which was once of considerable extent, were many old saw pits, for much sawn

timber was taken out. Stumps of the giant trees of the oast were still to be seen iv the valley. After leaving Worsk-v's road one came* to the Hoon Hay Viillev. A road passed up this valley for ' about a mile. It formerly ran over the top of the valley, anel evidently was laid out to give access to the- bush, but that part has beon closed. Tiie next road up the hills was at the Hnlswell Quarries, and this connected with rlie old Summit road at Kennedy's llu-h. The last road up tho hill was not reached until one passed back throim.li Halswell, anel then round the* foot of the hills past Lansdowne anel across past Burkes Valley.

A representative of "The Press" interviewed Mr R. Morten and Mr H. S. E. Hobday in reijard to the alleged frequency of trespass on Mr Morten's estate on the Port Hills, and enquired whether the const ruction to be placed «-n the letters which appeared in Friday's issue was that no one was to lie allowed to go on the Hills except on the.roads. The reply given was that the original survey appeared to have made amnio provision for access. The Summit road was surveyed across thehills, anel occasional roads lead from the* plains thereto. Some of these roaels are in actual use, viz., St. Martin's, the Bridlepath, and Evans' Pass (Sumner to Lyttelton). In regard to trespass on Mr Morten's property, it was pointed out that permits to shoot and go on the land had always been most generously given. There had only been refusals when that course was dictated by the interests of the run. A very largo number -of people*, however, absolute?v ignored the owner's private rights, trespassed on the land with doo-s'and guns, and gave the station staff an immense amount of extra work. Camping parties had pitched their tents on the estate without having previously asked the permission of the owner, and some of them were responsible for serious grass fires. In view of these circumstances, Mr Morten felt that ho was more than justified in asking peorde to observe his rights, and stick to the roads on the 'hills, unless they had authority to enter on tho land.