BEACH DANGER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 282, 27 November 1940, Page 13

BEACH DANGER.

MANUKAU HARBOUR.

REMOVAL OF SANDBANKS.

Persistent complaints of damage to beaches on the Manukau Harbour as. the result of the removal of sand were the subject of a report to the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday afternoon by the superintendent, Mr. D. Holdernees, and the harbourmaster, Captain H. H. "•ergeant. The report, stated that the complaints had been made by residents, property-owners, ratepayers' associations, county councils and others over a long perioil of years.

Oil May 26 last the Harbour Board decided to permit the removal of sand from certain areas for a further six months, the quantify to 1h- restricted to an amount equal to the average taken during- the same period last year, the leport said. Iliir. time had now nearly el.ip>.ed and a decision as to future policy was necessary.

The lioard s pirincipal function of providing safe navigation of the harbour and facilities for shipping is likely to be unaffected bv the destruction or otherwise of these beaches." continued! tho report. ''The problem, therefore,! lesohes itself into a consideration of whether the beaches in their present state and the foreshore, which is otherwise bound to suffer further erosion, are of greater personal and public value than is the Manukau Harbour sand industry. "There is a ready sale and a sustained demand for Manukau Harbour sand in thejbuilding industry and there is a large number of men employed and considerable money invested in plant," Restrictions Ineffective. It was pointed out that neither the county council nor the Government had seen fit, to preserve access along the foreshore by way of a public reserve, but the board should either completely prohibit, the removal of sand from its. tidal lands or permit it to be taken from all places. The practice adopted in the past, of prohibiting removal from particular areas was ineffective Itecause of wave action and other natural forces tending to redistribute the sand along the foreshore generally so that sand lying in a prohibited area to-day might to-morrow be transported by the sea into an unprohibited area and be removed for sale. Destruction of Beaches. As evidence of the extent of sand removal from the banks of the southern side of the Manukau Harbour, the quantity taken between October, 1938, and September. 1939, was 24,144 yards. Tn the previous 12 months the total was 20,.'>37 yards, and in 193H-37 16.051 yards. Practically all this sand was taken from six miles of foreshore between the Blow Hole, near the South Head and Awhitu, in the Waiilku Channel. and transported to Onehunga by 'barges. By far the largest quantity was reanoved from areas, including the main sand banks off Kauri Point, which are now seriously depleted. Other beaches in the vicinity have also been detrimentally affected.

"The sand hanks are the natnral breakwater* for the coast," said Captain in an earlier re|>ort, "and when these are removed serious erosion taken place along the foreshore, as is. clearly demonstrated in thi* locality."

The re|x>rt» were referred to the board in committee for consideration.