WAIKUKU RE-MADE.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17938, 5 December 1923, Page 11

WAIKUKU RE-MADE.

J.. K. Wilkinson, Loburn.) The seaside season is agum with us, earlier than usual, on account of the drought thnt is now parching the central and northern parts of the province. Sea-bathing is already very enjoyable along the forty-mile beach, and the summer traffic to the resorts along this beach is beginning. There are not many natural entries through the sandhills to the shore, connected with good roads of access, and that at Waikuku is certainly worthy of attention, especially at the present time. The Waikuku beach and the adjacent estuary of the Ashlej- have of course Leon of interest to district residents since the early days, and in recent years perhaps 110 seaside resort in Canterbury has so grown in favour, and visitors have come to it from far ana near. The Domain Board has made pine plantations 011 a liberal scale, continuing the work of the old Board, and as funds permitted has provided bath-ing-sheds, a large shelter, and eookhouscK roofed-in, artesians, and a large stable and enclosure'. The track to the beach, once or twice damaged by scour of Hood waters from the Ashley, was widened out and levelled so that vehicles coiud be brought fairly near the shore. The whole Domain was surveyed off in sections, and last, but not least, an enterprising storekeeper in .Rangiora opened a branch there through the holiday season. Waikuku was, therefore, in great form last summer, taking its tide at; the. full, and vigorously preparing for further enterprises. The Improvement Association was formed, with large schemes in view. Every holiday or Sunday afternoon saw visitors by hundreds, and the annual picnics of firms and associations. Everyone was able to make the certain forecast that Waikuku "next summer" would rank equal with, or perhaps a little above, Caroline Bay. Then the earthquake happened jit Christmas. It was severe along the coast, a lot of willing hands having been needed for the rescue of a standing car visibly sinking Into the ground, whfie springs of water were welling up at various spots around. In the light of what to come one frequently even now hears the statement that the ground became too loosened and riven to enable it to stand tTiS final "blow in May. Few were present while the, haivoc was . being wrought, but when the flood was over and the damage viewed it was generally felt that. Waikuku was utterly destroyed. Photographs, of course, depicted the scenes, but could not express the feelings, the astonishment, and the dejection of those that knew the old Waikuku, and now, standing by the water still pondipg high, gazed on bit by oit the irretrievable ruin. It was winter, the off season at the beach, and it took time to ' recover from the shock. But tne bulldog spirit began to assert it self, and the chairman and other members of the Board, and the enthusiastic association of' men gave their time and attention, and out of endless discussions, and visits to the teach the central idea that Waikuku should not be given up took firm hold. The Association set, itself to increase its funds, and by dances, -card parties, concerts, and a benefit shoot and subscription lists —still open —-found' that it could materially ielp the large expenditure authorised by the Domain Board, the County Council, and a Government flood ijelief grant. It has been recognised now that the track to the sea was rather a snare than an advisable road site. It has evidently been a way to the sea'for flood* "waters from the'Ashley, but in ancient times has »ot scoured through its niatural turf of plant growth, and in all probability tne volume of water escaping from the Ashley was less in early days than under present conditions of tne riverbed, overgrown * with gorse and broom .and willows and silting up with shingle and other river deposits. Until the Ashley bank therefore is well protected any large flood will force a stream through the Waikuku course, | now a long channel or lake of deep water; and it has been decided by the Board that this channel must for the present be left open and. that a new track' to the beach must be developed. .Fresh sites are also chosen for the shelter shed and store on the south side of the park. x The main road of access was for some chains at .its terminus destroyed by the scour, but a large filling-in antT a short deviation have now restored vehicular communication with the northern portion, and a bridge over the ! scour is now being constructed to effect j a friendly connexion with the . southern portion of the district. The matters of the stable enclosure and the restoration of the women's bathing shed have still to be dealt with. But it is patent ! thai Waikuku is being re-made, and though its population may not De j quite as great this summer as- was anticipated, yet it is full of hope, and its great, experience of re-making cannot prove useless. The -extraordinary conversion of the road and adjacent places into a huge scour is well worth inspection, the action of the flood being apparently of the same class as tTie formation of a river estuary, though of course on a smaller scale.