Rock Blast Threat To Tearooms

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32385, 26 August 1970, Page 14

Rock Blast Threat To Tearooms

It is highly unlikely that the Way Side tearooms and home in Heberden Avenue, Scarborough, will still be standing by Friday, according to the contractor who is blasting rock from a nearby cliff face.

The contractor, Mr N. H. Harris, said last evening that there was little hope for the survival of the buildings because of the overhanging rocks, which he is clearing on contract to the Christchurch City Council. The proprietress of the tearooms, Mrs M. M. de Lautour, and her husband and their child, aged four year, have moved into a motel at the council’s expense while the blasting, which began on August 19, continues. The contractor envisaged completion of the work in three weeks, but Mr Harris said he could not see this being achieved, in spite of the use of 15 men on the site. Between 35 and 40 shots of gelignite had been used, but another 100 would probably be required. The blasting time-table was very tight, because of the danger to schoolchildren on holiday and because of the nearness of the tearooms.

A 15-ton rock which landed within feet of the tearooms on Monday, taking a leanto with it, was later split up by gelignite blasts, and required three truck loads to remove the debris.

The City Engineer (Mr P. G. Scoular) said last evening that the council had undertaken to clear rocks from its own property, which was adjacent to the tearooms, and had asked Mr Harris to do this work.

However, since some of the dangerous rocks were on council property and some were on the de Lautours’ property, the legal position would be “pretty difficult” if the tearooms were to be damaged by the blasting on the council’s property. It was decided to remove the rocks after a rock slide on July 26, when tons of rocks buried about a dozen tables and chairs and partly demolished the tea-rooms’ summerhouse.