ONE-TREE HILL DOMAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13399, 30 January 1907, Page 8

ONE -TREE HILL DOMAIN.

OPENING OF THE NEW DRIVE.

CEREMONY PERFORMED BY .SIP.

J. L. CAMBELL

AN* INTERESTINC I'UNCTiOX

I 'J'hk ceremony of formally opening (he extension of the One-tree Hill Domain drive to the summit of the hill was performed J yesterday afternoon by Sir John Logan i Campbell, in the presence of a large number of people. The cost of this work, which will add greatly to the attractiveness of this fine pleasure resort, with its interesting historical association*, was defrayed by means of donations from the adjacent local bodies, assisted by private subscriptions, and a vote of £50 from the funds of the Domain Board. The result is Out there is now a wide carriage drive from the entrance ; to the Domain at Manukuu Road to the top iof the hill. The Board intend to continue i the drive in the form of a loop round the crown of the park, in older to facilitate the passage of carriages to and from the lull. Towards trio cost of thus completing the drive the Premier has undo a promise of a : Government grant of £100, and the wurl; I will lie carried out as soon as possible. In carrying out the work care has been 1 taken to interfere as little as possible" with i the configuration of the hill, over the grassy 'slopes of which are still plainly visible the ! forms of the terraces, fighting pits, and vari- ! ous other earthworks, which served the purjK>st>s of d-efence in the far-back days of Maori inter-tribal wars. The sides of the I cuttings, where such were necessary, have j been faced with turf, and the whole work 1 >effects much credit on the members of the j Domain Board, and especially the present chairman (Mr. C. Bagley), who has been : most indefatigable in planning and super- [ intending the undertaking, which yesterday : reached the satisfactory point of official consummation.

A largo number of invitation «ne sent out liv llv Domain Board for the opening ceremony, and amongst those present, in addition to Sir John Logan Campbell and Lady Campbell, were: Messrs. ('. Bagley. W. R. Bloomficld. aud H. Hall (members of the One-tree Hill Domain Hoards V. W. Lung and J. Bollard, M.H.R.s. L. J. Bagnail (chairman of the Auckland Education Board), A. S. Bank art, and several other residents of the city and surrounding districts. Apologies for unavoidable absence, owing to prior engagements, were received from the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. A. M. Myers), and the Mayor of Onehtmga (Mr. J. Rowe). The entrance to the Domain and the summit of the hill, where tffe ceremony took place, was decorated with Hags, and for some time prior to the ascent of the hill by the procession of cariages a a large number of people had gathered round the small enclosure reserved for those taking part in the ceremony.

ASCENT OF THE HILL. The carriages, headed by that of Sir John and Lady Campbell, left the plateau at the late terminus of the drive shortly after four o'clock, and arrived at the top of the hill tit a-quarter past four. Sir John and Lady Campbell, on alighting from their carriage, were received by the members of the Domain Board, and conducted to the seats reserved for them. A large flat brown stone (measuring about 2ft by 18in by 6in), somewhat resembling a sandstone, but proving harder on scrutiny, attracted attention, as it rested on a small table, as the ceremony Mas about to commence. . This stone, which is conspicuous by its non-volcanic composition, was unearthed near the top of the hill during the making of the. drive, and it was whilst standing by this interesting relic of the stirring days of strife, and bloodshed that the Father of Auckland" received the cheers that erected bis arrival, and bared his venerable head, white with the record of 9,0 summers, to the cooling current of the easterly breeze as he I performed the interesting ceremony for which the gathering had' assembled. Mr. Bagley, as chairman of the Domain lßoard, in opening the proceedings, said that Sir John Logan Campbell was doing honour to them in consenting to open a drive which would prove a great benefit to the present and future generations. He acknowledged the generous assistance of the Onehunga Borough Council and the One-tree Hill, Epsom, and Mount Iloskill Koad Boards, and the Manuka it Water Trust, as well as the Government donation of £100 granted by Sir Joseph Ward. Sir John Campbell, he said, was the first to drive to the top of the bill, and he had much pleasure in calling upon him to declare the drive open. (Applause.)

SIR JOHN* CAMPBELL'S SPEECH. Sir John Campbell, "who was received with cheers, spoke as follows: —My friends, I thought that I had bidden you farewell (as a public character) when I addressed you on Empire Day on the plain below, but I find myself again before you on a much more'elevated position. (Applause.) It is not given to many men to meet an assemblage .of his fellow colonists on the summit of an isolated volcanic hill, 500 ft high, and the situation is unique. In the early years of the- foundation of Auckland I kept a diary, and 1 find this entry on February 5, 1843: "Today Kennedy and 1 rode to the top of One-tree Hill." Kennedy was the manager of the first bank in Auckland. I was a young man, known as Dr. Camp--I**ll. but now no* longer a doctor, for I have changed my profession, and established a mercantile firm, which exists to the present day, and the founder has now the pleasure of'speaking to you. Do you realise what that date of 1813 means? It means that 64 years are buried in the past. Little did I dream, on that day that 1 should live to witness a procession of carriages making the ascent of One-tree Hill, and there perform the ceremony of declaring the drive open to the public. ' I could not refuse the request made to me to appear before you, and it is a tilting occasion for me to make my final farewell how. It has been suggested that 1 should plant a totaia here, to replace the one that grew here and gave t!w name to this hill, and that a pillar be erected to record the events of to-day. No, not on this spot, lor the event of to-day is but a small event compared to the greater one which must hereafter eventually take place. A more modest spot lower down the hill will suffice for to-day's proceedings, but here when- we now stand on Mallllgakiekie's highest summit, must be field .sacred and tabooed, for hero there must arise, towering heavenward, the mighty obelisk, a landmark from either shore, a Maori memorial for all time. This, 1 have already said, is ii debt the people of New Zealand owe. to t.ho great aboriginal race, whose country has passed into our hand.-:, and is to us such a rich inheritance, a lasting memorial to the MUori people, whose historical traditions can be traced for centuries into the dark ages. (Applause.) As I speak to you my hands are resting on a Maori relic. Its age, who can tell A piece n>' stone, chiselled at right angles, with a smooth, polished surface, which was unearthed when making this drive, several feel below the surface. It is a. tuki, a stone upon ■which the Maori pounded his fern root when lie had nothing belter to eat. Where did this stone came from? for the ecological formation tells us that Maungakickie owns it not. This relic J shall carry away with mo for safe keeping against the day "when it will find a fitting resting-place in a niche in the memoi#d obelisk. (Hear, hear.) The construction of the drive has given the Board much anxiety, as it was an essential that the beauties of the hill and the ancient Maori works should neither be marred nor destroyed. The work has happily been accomplished without departing from this essential, as the drive cannot be seen from a distance and can only he traced when people or vehicles are passing upon it. The Hoard is indebted to Mr. Hall for supervision, and no small amount of praise is due to Mr. J Jag ley for the skilful manner in which he has made the summit of Maimgakiekie so easily accessible. and to his devotion of so much* of his time to the successful attainment of the great end we are now celebrating. (Applause.) In i declaring the drive open, I ask vou to join i with me in.thchou6.that this beautiful c*i-

liage drive, giving access to the spot where we now stand, revealing this wonderful and magnificent panorama, may add to the attractions of our city, destined to become th«. queen of cities in the South Seas. (Applause and cheers.)

OTHER speeches. Mr. F. W. Lang, M. 11.15., w member for the Manukiin district, and a member of the Domain Board, in a short speech, spoke of the good fortune of Auckland in regard to public endowments, specially mentioning Sir John Campbell's gift of Cornwall 'Park. He al«o referred to the. credit due to Mr. Bagley and all who had assisted in the completion of the drive. (Applause.) _ Mr. Bagnall, chairnnin of the Education Board, was the next .speaker. He said he was pleased that the features of the hillside had been so little disturbed by th« making of the drive, and expressed a hope thai the inappropriate name of One-tree Hill would he relinquished, and that the hill would again become known by the historic name of Maungakiekie. He congratulated Sir John Campbell on being the first to diive to the top of the hill, and hoped he would repeat the drive, many times in lee' future. (Hear, hear.) Mr. .1. Bollard, M.H.I'., said that the people who were now enjoying the advantage of this splendid doni'in were

gieatly indebted to Sir Maurice. O'Rorkej and those who had assisted him in obtain-

ing such a valuable recreation ground. The people of Auckland were very fortunate in litis respect, and he re -rred to Sir John Campbell's gift of Corn v. dl Park, which adjoins the One-tree Hill, and which lie said was one of the most magnificent j public pleasure resorts in New Zealand. ! (Applause.) I Mr. R. Hall (who has always taken a i deep interest in the work of improving the I Domain), moved a hearty vote of thanks 'to Sir John Campbell. This was carried jby acclamation, ami was followed by i hearty cheers for Sir John and Lady ' Campbell. Sir John returned thanks and j reiterated bis intention of preserving the stone, already referred to. with the object of having it placed in a niche in the pioposed obelisk. The proceedings concluded with cheers | for Mr. Bagley, and the other members I of the Domain Board, which were called i for Mr. Bagnall.