ENCROACHMENT BY SAND

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22085, 6 May 1937, Page 10

ENCROACHMENT BY SAND

League to ApproacK Government

need for Immediate action urged

The Canterbury Progress League will approach the Minister faf Public Works (the Hon. R. Sempfe)' asking that immediate action be taken to stop the encroachment of sand on the City Council's Bottle Lake plantation, and on other reserves towards the mouth of the Waimakariri. The danger from sand to the city's investments in trees planted in the reserves was brought to the league's notice by an article in "The Press" yesterday. Basing his remarks on) this article, the president (Mr p.' Coop) said at a meeting of the league's executive last evening, that the league should urge the Government to take action. The land on which sand was encroaching at pres£ ent was owned mainly by the State! For that reason alone, the Government should take the work in hand 1 It had been understood some time ago that the Public Works Depart-, ment was prepared to do this as a means to providing useful ment. ■« j "It has occurred to -me that this) is an opportunity for the league to 1 step in and offer its services to the; City Council and other bodies, in an! endeavour to have the work put in \ hand," said Mr Coop. He.. moved j that, with the consent or approval! of the interested local bodies, the'! league should approach the Minister' for Public Works. . - * | The co-operation of the Waimaiii County Council was offered by Mr C* E. Cross, a member of the council, who attended the meeting. He said that if the league made a feasible proposition, the County Council would do its utmost to help. "It is up to us to do all in our power to help the City Council, which has spent thousands of pounds on its plantations. We are very keen to help in fixing the sand. There are many sites tor sale there at present which are no use whatever. As a council, we nave riot much money; but we will do all 4e can." The danger from sand had been before the Waimairi Council for some years, said Mr W. J. Walter, seconding the motion. On one inspection of the plantations, he had seen trees, 21 feet to 40 feet high, covered by the sand. The Waimairi Council itself had a frontage of about a mile in the affected area, from Rothesay road to Beach road. Something had to be done at once, or in time the whole of the City Council plantation would be covered. Mr F. D. Sargent (City Council), said that the council had about 2,500,000 trees altogether in the reserves, and some were approactuof maturity. He had not known, how-; over, that the need for action against sand was so urgent. He had understood that the Public Works Department had in mind the? immediate construction of a forward dune to protect State land. Mr H.' Holland commended tte Waimairi County Council for its ofits of help. It was proper that the Gov-; ernment should do the work, he saM. Mr Sargent: The cost won't be great Mr Holland: No . , v * Mr F. W. Johnston considered that it was not merely a matter of the City Council reserves. There was also a danger of continuous encroachment inland by the sand. The motion was carried •unanimously. ' -v