LYALL BAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 710, 8 January 1910, Page 14

LYALL BAY.

; r.' ; ''v&\£ ■', ':'• ':■;■■" ■':&?■ '■■:. jv^d^theiblnp::Padifi6',rdUOT'm:fiie'."Bay. fr^'^y^/mjffie^TOy.'i^'Bea^elJi^r^'. s|f;sl^9-ip,;yand/.b^ffld\aU'fdo'ubt; is^'a' spot di[Byhf^)i^<BpnmgsinW^wt«nTO;:br; yerp '■:■. seemed gleveV.;.bi£>:^ v.lPej&negts-;ofjta; • pleasant : surprise ',: to i 80 !3 the Bay. *J; Sv gs mQstat,our;i)ac.k';dwiS.t 1 :InJ l 3th'e l old : ,daje [3J i^f^/'te4?e]tirai^v^rald^essa'^a'l : picnfc 0 KJL^^«B^§:Th^^uld-'hirefa : ;drag Is '/prase^d^laboii?

way s!ci|aeiQw|, Onental, and Evans Bayj<' Having reached the head pf the la£ter bay what passed for a road struck across the isthmus, but, as there was usually two or three foot of sand as a general top dressing and ten foot here and there, tho -greater part of 1 the day was occupied, in getting there and'back If some of the cabhorses could speak they would relate some awful experiences of their parents and grandparents in attempting to reach Lyall Bay world was younger than jfc,^to-day " f That is all changed, fortunately' Th 6 electric car which burrows under Mount Victoria slips over the sandy tract between Evans and - Lyall Bays < in. from, two, to throe minutes, and now one may at any time bo strolling along Courtenay tlace, and twenty minutes later be inhaling the pur© ozone of the Pacific on the Lyall Bay beach. • How Wellington Acquired Lyall Bay. I It is of historical interest to record I at this juncture Wellin'gton ac-, quired Lyall Bay as a resort for the' people Five years ago tho land at 1 the Bay was owned down to the water's 1 edge by the late Mr H D Crawford,, who had every right to fence off tho beach down to high-water mark, and prevent anyone trespassing over tho property Yet the danger of tills being dono never occurred to anyone, because LyaU Bay had always boon open to those of tho public wbo choso to avail themselves of that freedom. Its value was not thought of becauao tho means of access up till recent years were not good, and consequently few ranged that way. There was, however, one gentle-

man/who,foresaw,! possibilities in Lyall Bay—forced on him after years of residence at Maranui. Mr. W. H. Morrah was largely instrumental in inducing tho late Mr H D r Crawford to make an agreement with the city, which he deemed would be of benefit both to Mr Crawford and the city. This resulted in an agreement being drawn up between the two partus, which, thanks to tho generosity of the deceased gentleman, was largely in favour,of the city. In effect, Mr. H. D. Crawford (or his executors) was to construct a 66ft. road from a point m South Kilbirme in a straight lmo to the Lyall Bay beach, j and donate to the city a strip of land 90ft in width above high-water mark at Lyall Bay (for tho purposes of a promenade), * and eight acres of land (for-tho purpose of a recreation ground) , about the oentro of the Bay. In return the city was, to extend the tramway from South Kilbinue (the MiramarSeatoun lino) to the beach at Lyall Bay Both parties have earned out their contract, with what result the public of Wellington protty well know. From Obscurity to Popularity. The instantaneous success which the Bay has mado as a seaside resort has exceeded tho expectations of the most sanguine Tho now line was opened a tow days before Christmas, in wretched weather, yet each was the enthusiasm of those who had visited the ocean beach, that beforovlong the cars were running to their fullest capacity, and on Boxing Day, the Bay wa3 visited by over 10,600 people, and excellent as the tram sornco was, it was unable to cope with tho traffic Eight through the Christmas and Tfow Year holidays the beach was well patronised, and is still steadily gaining in popularity. Tnore

are plenty of reasons to account for this. Tho trip to Lyall Bay is accomplished in quick timo over a pictmesqne route. Hβ ride ia cheap, too. From Courtonay Place the fare is only 2d., and from down town 3d. In an hoar one can journey both ways, and have a bathe in between. Who, under the circumstances, would net be a surfbather?. Idea] for Residential Purposes. The factors mentioned have made the Lyall Bay district ideal for residential purposes. There is no question of this. Maranui—the township of Lyall Bayhas acquired population steadily, until' 'to-day the handily-aituatod State School, though only built two years ago, is at 'present overcrowded, and another building has had to be leased for school purposes. A considerable area of the old-time sand-dunes have been levelled and clayod over, and are being made to blossom as a garden, and further areas are about to be treated in the esme way. Houses'are springing up everywhoro, particularly along the'new tram routo which runs down Onepu Road.' These levelled 'lands have been subdivided into convenient sections, neither too small nor too large, and as they aro within a few seconds of the tram, and one of the most glorious stretches of ocean beach in tho vicinity of any large city in Now Zealand, .they must increase considoiably in value within the next year or two. Maranui has tho city water supply, electric light, and 'an atmospherio exhilaration that is never experienced in tho city. For those who would combine convenience, economy., and tho means of health thero is no bettor' place so close to tlu> city that can offer the «»ti ad-