SEA WALL AT REDCLIFFS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23714, 12 August 1942, Page 5

SEA WALL AT REDCLIFFS

—— WORK TO COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY

SUMNER BOROUGH COUNCIL’S DECISION

The building of a new sea wall in Redclifts at Monck’s Bay was again discussed at the Sumner Borough Council meeting on Monday. The Mayor iMr J. E. Tail; presented a report on a proposed new structure at an estimated cost of £6OO. Mr Tail said that the Public Works Engineer (Mr T. G. Beck) had approved of the plan and the Tramway Board was anxious to have the work started without delay. . , . Cr. L. Gant said that residents of Monck’s Bay had been long suffering and patient and he thought that the proposed construction would be a disgrace. The bay would eventually be a fine sporting place with yacht racing. and no provision was to be made for people to stand and watch. He considered that the costs had been grossly misrepresented and a fine structure could be built for very little. “Costs Exaggerated” The Mayor: You’re not suggesting that 1 misrepresented things? Cr. Gant: Well, yes. You are a bit biased. Cr. Gant said that already a good job had been done with a wall at the foot of Pratt street, and he defied the Mayor or the Borough Engineer (Mr George Harper) to say that it'had cost anything like £2OO a chain, which was what the cost of his suggested wall had been estimated. The Mayor: That wall was built with Ul3 labour. Cr. Gant: The costs have been exaggerated. Something better could be done and an extra £2OO would do it. The Mayor: I disagree with you. I’m only a stonemason, but I consider that twice £2OO or even twice £4OO would not be sufficient. Cr. Gant: £BOO would do the whole thing. Cr. W. Machin: When a practical man suggests a thing like this he must, of course, have some foundation for such a statement. Would Cr. Gant take on a contract to build the wall for that price? Amendment Defeated An amendment by Cr. Gant, seconded by Cr. W. Duff, to build a more elaborate structure, was defeated. The council decided to erect a new sea wall of rock, using the foundations of the old wall as much as possible; the Sumner Borough Council, the Highways Board, and the Christchurch Tramway Board each to contribute £2OO towards the cost, the work to be commenced immediately. The wall will be built to a height of three feet above the level of the tram rails, and will have a clearance at the narrowest point of 4 feet 6 inches from the rails to allow for the construction of a path three feet wide. Several owners of property who have not repaired the damage caused by the sea to their sea walls are also to be written „o by the council informing them of their obligations. It was stated that many of the owners, in the section of sea front from Estuary road to Simpson’s corner, had taken suitable steps, but those who had not were causing damage both to their own nroperties and to those of their neighbours.