KENNEDY’S BUSH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16805, 15 March 1915, Page 9

KENNEDY’S BUSH.

NEW TEA-ROOM OPENED

A fresh breeze was blowing on Saturday afternoon, when several hundred people journeyed on foot or by motor to take part in tho formal opening of the new tea-room in connection with the caretaker’s house at Kennedy’s Bush. The now room, like tho house of which it forms an integral portion, has been constructed Of stone quarried on. tho spot, while the furnishings are iu agreement with their environment, being of the plainest and most substantial character throughout. The Summit Road Association, by uliose efforts the magnificent reserves along tho Port Hills have been secured for the people, was established by Mr H. G. Ell, M.P., in July, 1909, when by the generosity of a number of gentlemen a few reserves between Evans's Pass and Dyer’s Paas were secured, aggregating about seventy acres. These have been added to from timo to time, and to-day reserves totalling about two thousand acres have been secured for all tim© for the benefit of tho public. Tho president, Mr George Harper, said he had much pleasure in declaring tho now tea-room ppen. He would like to take the opportunity of expressing his appreciation of the kindness of Mr Fairbaim, through whose generosity it had been made possible to erect the handsome addition to tho house for the accommodation of visitors. The speaker apologised for. the absence of Mr Fairbaim and also of Mr Albert Kayo. Mr H. G. Ell expressed the pleasure he felt at seeing such a largo number of people present. It showed that there was a growing tendency to utilise the hills ns a means of healthy, recreation. The association hoped iu time to extend tho road right along to junction with the Akaroa Sumafit Road. Bishop Julius in a . humorous speech said that when t,hb first settlers came to Canterbury they were walking people—they walked everywhere, they tramped the hills and they tramped the plains. They were succeeded by a generation that was growing up without any legs at all, or at least without the power or the will to use them. He hoped and believed that the Summit Road and the efforts being mad© by the association would remove that reproach, and as a result there would shortly be seen another generation of walkers. • During the afternoon the new room, which has seating accommodation for about forty persons, was taxed to its utmost capacity, there being four or five relays of afternoon tea patrons. The association wishes to return thanks to its l»dv friends, who came forward bo cheerfully to assist the caretaker and bh wife in dispensing the hospitality of the new tea-room,.