PURPOSE: To enable horizontal connection of the horizontally paired ports, between their relevant spools, without forming any groove in the axial direction of these spools by providing a plurality of ports to be mutually horizontally connected to each other in adjacently disposed pressure control valves in such a manner that their respective horizontal paired positions as viewed in the axial direction of the corresponding spools are substantially the same.

CONSTITUTION: In the shift valve of a hydraulic controller of the automatic transmission, first and second pressure control valves 10, 12 arranged to operate in response to the signal pressures from relevant solenoids are provided in adjacent relation to each other. Each of the pressure control valves 10, 12 comprises a relevant spool 22, 24 which is provided with a plurality of ports in the axial direction, ports 26, 28 and 30 of the first pressure control valve 10 being connected to ports 32, 34, and 36 of the second pressure control valve 12. In this case, paired ones of the corresponding ports 26, 32; 28, 34; and 30, 36 are set to be at supstantially same axial positions of their corresponding spools 22, 24, respectively. Then, by forming substantially straight-line like grooves 38, 40, and 42 in the valve body, their corresponding ports 26, 28, and 30 are connected to the ports 32, 34, and 36, respectively.