WATERFRONT IMPROVEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 167, 15 July 1918, Page 7

WATERFRONT IMPROVEMENT.

I " PKOPOSED "WORKS AT ST. 1 HELTES'S. I j POLL TO BE TAKEN. j .At a meeting of ratepayers of the 1 Tamaki West road district, at St. y Helier's Bay on Saturday evening, v I comprehensive report was submitted j || upon a scheme for the protection and i J jjnprovement of the foreshore at KohiI jaarama and !St. Helier's Bay. The I chairman of the Board (Mr. E. R. I Pilkington) presided. I 'The chairman, in outlining tlic scheme, I stated that it provided in the first plaeo J for the eastward extension of the preI sent Kohiinarama wliarf approach for a I distance of 21 chains, the site of this I portion of the work beiuj: a dedicated J ' road along the beach, which, through 1 the encroachment of the -ea. is imp'as--1 sable for several hoars each day. The I second proposal was for the construeI tion of a sea wall and reiaiiiinjr wall of; I reinforced concrete extending tlio full I length of St. Helier's Bay. 43 chains 1 This work w.as essential, as the recent, I heavy rain had carried away the protec-' I tive rubble walls and a considerable por-1 I tion of the foreshore, hi view of the I sandy nature of the foreshore ft was I courting disaster to allow' it to remain I in its present unprotected state. An-. I other proposed work was a sea wall and I roadway round Gower's Point, ol chains J in length, connecting St. Helier's and I Kohimarama. This work had always I teen a pressing need, the more so as' I there was no school at Kohimarama..' I and the children of that district had to I attend the St. Helier's school. The Board negotiated with three owners in regard to this work, who were prepared to surrender their riparian rights, and transfer portions of their property to i -the Board for the roadway. Attention ! ■was called to the extremely satisfac-1 torr terms on which the proposed loan; of £6,000, required for the work, could ] te raised, namely, 5\ per cent for a term of 36t years. A poll in respect to this loan is to he taken on Thursday next. ' Mr. G. F. Campbell, a former chairman of the Board, said the scheme was identical with one formulated by him three years ago, but which had not been put to the ratepayers. ■ The chairman agreed that subsequent events had proved that Mr. Campbell's scheme had shown jrreat foresight. It was to be regretted that it had not been carried into effect. Considerable discussion took place on the question as , to whether the work should be done under the supervision of the foreman by day labour, or by public tender. Ultimately, however, the report was adopted. Mr. M. G. McArthur, late chairman of the Board, contended that with labour scarce, money tight, and materials dear {he present time was not opportune for tmdertaking the work. After some discussion a motion in favour of deferring the work was only lost by two votes.