HAPPY VALLEY ROAD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 685, 9 December 1909, Page 10

HAPPY VALLEY ROAD.

; ■." THE OFFICIAL OPENING. ' The official opening of tho new Happy Valley Road--the latest drive in the vicinity of the city—was performed yesterday by his Worship the Mayor,. w,ho ..was.acoompanied by Councillors Ballinger, Cohen, Movrah, Frost, and Smith, and Messrs. J. R. Palmer, (Town Clerk), ; W. H. Morton (City Engineer),' and John O'Shea (City Solicitor). The party were'met at the "run-round" by lit'.' A.. J:; Patersoh, of the City Engineer's s'.aff,, who superintended tho work of constructing the road. The party.-left tho .Town Hall at .2.20,- aQd arrived at tho beach end of,the road.after 40 minutes driving. The. drive begins, with a stiff climb up Ohiro Road to Brooklyji, after leaving the city, but once this pinch is negotiated tho road slopes gradually, down to the sea. For the'greater part of the rido: the passage is down a winding road in the floor of the valley, high grass-clad hills, rising on each side, tut on arrival at tho second bridge ,Ohiro Bay is suddenly opened up, and tho full, expanse of. Cook Strait comes into view. Yesterday, with a bright sun flaring down on tho moro or less parched hills, the view! of the Strait came "as-, a ' pleasing..contrast iu soft blues. .'The view was. perfect, the mountains standing out on the other-side of tho-Straits were clearly and stoutly upheld against a fino i summer sky; At- present the road is rough and only- tempting for. traps, etc., but, as soon as the traffic has worn' tho metal down, I the steady slope should appeal to cyclists and | motorists.' On arrival at.the new bridge at the bottom of tho Valley, a halt was"-called, and the Mayor, formally'declared. tho road, and bridgo. open'for traffic.:'. Dr. Newhiau remarked that 'tho country opened, up by the'new road was practically unknown to most of tho councillors and. to p a large number of citizens, but with the opening of the new road, everybody would ,ba able to avail themselves of this excellent new.drive or walk. "This country was recently discovered by Councillor' Frost, proceeded the, Mayor, who added, that, in bygone days, tho now almost treeless valley had been covered with Native bush which, had been tho home of tho shining cuckoo and the paradise: duck.' Half a century of local government had brought the valley to'its present state, and lie honed that it would still be as beautiful in another 50 years. .' From the point where the road runs into Ohiro Bay close to what is familiarly known as the "run-round," the drive skirts too'ocean' beach until'it turns back lownward fro',u Island Bay. 0m arrival. at the bay yesterday the official party stopped for afternoon tea and then proceeded on - round tho Queen's Drive to Maranui,- where the new tramway was inspected. The: Town. Hall was reached at "j p.m. after a journey of-a little over two anil a halt hours, including stoppages, " The ■ E-en • eral.opinicjnwasthatthe hew .drive must be-