PLEA FOR RESTORATION OF THE SIGN OF THE BELLBIRD

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32322, 13 June 1970, Page 5

PLEA FOR RESTORATION OF THE SIGN OF THE BELLBIRD

(By

SYLVIA ADAMS)

Cloud-high above a busy New Zealand city a scarlet and yellow stage-coach is pulled by four frisky horses. It sounds like a dream brought on by watching a TV western. But, during the years 1923 to 1928, anyone with 5s to spare could have had an exciting ride on the Kennedy’s Bush coach which rumbled along the southern Summit Road.

The old-fashioned coach, constructed by Steel Bros, of Addington, stopped at the inn called The Sign Of The Bellbird which provided refreshments and accommodation in a delightful setting, more than 1500 ft above sea level.

A sign, depicting a bell and a bird, and carved from a block of pine by Mr E. A. Langford, hung outside the inn. Pictures of this, and of the inn with customers sitting on the veranda, can be seen in the Summit Road file kept under lock and key in the New Zealand section of the Canterbury Public Library. There are also drawings of the coach which eventually fell to bits through the roughness of the shingle road.

Perhaps today motorists, pausing to admire the wonderful views of the Southern Alps and the Canterbury Plains, wonder about the remains of a stone house in the dip of the hillside just below the level of the Southern Summit Road. The grey ruins look oddly out of place far from any other building, and there’s an aura of sadness about the area. Indeed the history of the area is not altogether a happy one.

Harry’ Ell But thanks to the efforts of a remarkable man the public can enjoy what an overseas tourist recently termed “one of the most magnificent scenic drives in the world.” The man who fought to preserve the Port Hills as a scenic reserve, Harry Ell, was said to have the courage of a pioneer and the vision of a prophet. Renowned as a fiery speaker in local politics he declared at a meeting of the Summit Road Trust:

“The best thing in a man is his individuality. I’ll bold on to mine for I’m an individualist. No board will rule me.”

In 1899 Ell acted promptly when be found out that all publie access to the Summit Road Reserve might be cut off by the road board. But it took him nine years to get a parliamentary vote for the construction of a road from Dyers Pass to Kennedy’s Bush. The road, 14 feet wide, was open to motor traffic in 1918. Some years before, a cottage, built of local stone at a cost of £5OO, had been erected in a sheltered nook just below the road for a caretaker to keep an eye on the reserve. In 1908 97 acres named Kennedy’s Bush had been gazetted as a scenic reserve. At one time most of Banks Peninsula had been covered with native bush, as in this area. A survey recorded at that time noted that there were 36 species of trees and shrubs, including totaras. black pines and ngaios, 13 different types of climbing plants, ferns of 15 species and 34 kinds of grasses and sedges growing in the reserve. Donations from local people and money taken at the tollgates along the road were used to pay the caretaker, and Christchurch firms generously gave articles for the cottage. In a list published in 1914 items included a hanging lamp, a seagrass chair and a set of meteorological instruments.

D<-vol<»nmont Plans But Harry Ell was alwavs thinking up bigger and better schemes to improve the Summit Rnad. He nlanned to extend it to Gehhies Pass and to build a series of resthouses or “inns” (at one time

he wanted eight inns) along the way. Kennedy’s Bush was the focus of the scheme and the cottage became a tea house, where the stage-coach took passengers for refreshments. It was planned to build on 10 extra bedrooms, although finance was always a problem. . Perhaps ror Harry Ell this was the best time of his life, in spite of money worries. Photographs taken in the 1920’s show what a pleasant place the Kennedy’s Bush house was, where people could sit on the veranda and look out at the magnificent view. It was a bird watcher’s paradise—the luxuriant bush being the home of many native birds—tui, ruru, ti-waka-waka, riro-riro, tau-hou, ngiru nighu, korimako names which would sound like poetry to a bird lover such as Harry Ell. No wonder his “inns” were given the names of birds. The Sign of the Bellbird was the first accommodation house to be opened, then The Sign of the Kiwi and the most elaborate, The Sign of the Takahe.. The last two are still flourishing, but misfortune dogged the Bellbird. A fire

started by a farmer burning off in the valley below swept up the hillside to destroy most of the native bush. A second fire did more damage. There was no money available to replant the area and finance became more and more of a problem when the tollgates were abolished in 1932.

Harry Ell went on fighting to get improvements for his beloved Summit Road until his death in 1934 at the age of 71. But it was a bad day for The Bellbird when the caretaker, Mr Gilby, was called away to active service. His wife bravely carried on with the catering business although there were many difficulties. All supplies, even water in a dry season, had to be brought up from Christchurch by motor-cycle and side-car, and she was pestered by larrikins. One night she had to ride her motor-cycle dow® the steep hills to get the police because vandals were wrecking the place. And so The Sign of the Bellbird was abandoned. The encroachment of gorse and stock have destroyed most of the native plants and grey stone ruins

all are that remain of a building of unusual design. “City Asset in a Sorry State” was the subject of an article by Mr Arthur Lush in 1954. He recalled spending a pleasant week convalescent after illness at The Sign of the Bellbird. Like Mr Lush there must be many more people who would like to see this resthouse rebuilt. Perhaps The Sign of the Bellbird could be restored as a memorial to commemorate the man who preserved the Port Hills as a scenic reserve.

A remarkable man in many ways, Harry Ell was particularly keen on promoting interest in native birds, encouraging city dwellers to enjoy the beauty of the country side and in research. His fads were summed up as “the birds, the bush and the beetles.”

“Birds” and “Beatles” may have different meanings today, but many young people like to tramp and camp in the bush, so why not rebuild “The Sign of the Bellbird” as a Youth Hostel. A big project no doubt but “you always get what you want if you work like ’Ell.”