HARBOUR FERRIES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 50, 27 August 1924, Page 6

HARBOUR FERRIES

PREPARING FOR SUMMER , ' . .SEASON. .

The Eastbourne Borough Council's ferry, v steamer '/, Muritai- went .on to. the- slip yesterday '.to have her -hull painted, preparatory; to' .taking- up ; cross - harbour running on c Monday. The vessel, during the past -few : weeks, has been thoroughly overhauled, - after having been idle at •n urry wharf since last Easter.-There will be, no-change in the existing timetable, the Cobar1 coming' off for overhaul and painting. The Duchess < will take-over the. Cobar's time-table, "and the Muritai will, handle the heavier traffic of the Duchess.' -I . . .

_For some time work in connection with, the, erection of spring piles, has been . proceeding at Rona. Bay, where the Harbouiv Board's staff- has been carrying out the necessary alterations. The work has,been delayed by adverse -weather; but is now nearing completion. The Harbour Board.is also extending .th» councils office accommodation,, at the Ferry Wharf, where the top'story is being enlarged by the addition of -an"! extra room at the southern end of the building. V.This work is also nearing " completion.; ■_.Heavy seas along the . foreshore,:- at ' 'Eastbourne have caused a deal of erosion, especially at ManteLTs Point.. where .the recently-erected seawall s op-posite-Mr. : Mather's residence has collapsed. Further along the beach to-wards-the south 'end of the borough there has been a serious cutting away of the sandhills' by the heavy seas, and the problem of erosion is each Winter becoming more serious for - residents along the foreshore. 'To cope with the trouble will. entail a. considerable expenditure, but it. will have to be faced before long. In the meantime it is sug-_i gested that a! succession of groynes, built of wood,. should, bo run down th» beach from high-water mark to low-j water, thus serving a dual purpose by I breaking the;-force of the waves and causing the sand -to build up, : where' at present it is disappearing. > Another: serious problem facing the East Harbour authority' is the- silting which is occurring- in the vicinity of the Rona Bay Wharf, where at low tide the ferry vesseh are experiencing difficulty in berthing.: The sand,- which is-being cut but south of Mantell's Point', is apparently being carried in southerly weather to the-wharf, where it is deposited. The: water at the end-of the wharf is over 20 feet-deep where the spring piles are being placed, but at the second pile trom the end it shallows very ■ suddenly,l and when berthing at the side of the ■wharf' at low-water the bows of botlf the Duchess 'and the Cobar are usually aground, giving none'too much room for handling passengers ..by the gangway. It is only a few months ago since this was all dredged out, and the time is approaching when it will ha\'e ■to 7 be done again, especially i£ southerly weather: prevails. A succession of northerly winds may; help to remove .the sand, and it is this happening .that the council are anticipating when-, the equinoctial winds commence to blow next month.

Messrs. K. 'Johnston and Co.. Aucsalo of' laaies' nefanc'y "gootls" "handbags) manicure sets, etc., in their new rooms, ISo. 8; Willeston street," commencing at 1.30 o'clock to-morrow. Oil Friday, at 10.30, they will hold'a sale at No. 168. Dy.cte quay. • .