DOMAIN BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 12967, 2 June 1908, Page 6

DOMAIN BOARD.

The folowing is the annual report of the Dunediu Ocean Beach Domain Board for the year ended 31st March:— The baths have been kept in good order, and were very popular during the dry, warm season just closed. Sand has given the caretaker some trouble, but when more than ho could cope with assistance was given him by the Board's workmen. Repairs to the concrete walk! and platform have been effected from time to time as required. A fence has been erected on the sea wall from Beach street to the ballis, which will afford protection to, cyclists and perp.e on foot, the cost being jointly borne between the City Corporation and this Board. Pile groini contaiue their useful work at St. Clair ir accumulating sand after depletion by storms the result being most satisfactory. No poj tiou of the foreshore has been washed awa; for at least seven years. Plain fencing ha been continued from Talmna Park to th< eastern boundary en the Tomahawk road 6ide to protect the grass and lupins plantations from stray cattle and horses, and about fortychains of scrub fencing has been erected where required, for the purpose of arresting the drift sand, with a view to ftllinj the low-lying parts of the lagoon off St. Kilda. The season has been good for the growth of marram grass, and in addition to having plenty for its own pu poses the Board have been able to supply other public bodies with all required. Lupins continue to spread and are rapidly covering the whole of the old Sandhills. Patches where burnt off in 1907 have been quickly renewed by seedlings, which arc now a mass of growth from three to six feet high. Sanitary work, as far as it comes under the control of the Board's workmen, is well conducted, and the benefits are shown in the enormous crops of marram. The track across the Sandhills opposite Moreau street has been improved, and is largely used by persons not wishing to walk the whole distance from St. Clair to St. Kilda, and vice versa. The one opposite the Queen's Drive is being raised and covered with rotten rook a further length of about threo chains. The band rotundi is complete and is very handsome; the ground has been fenced, and the enclosure improved by a covering of grassy material, which will produce good effect by another season.

The finances of the Board are satisfactory. The Board's property has been found on survey to have been encroached upon near St Clair, and the owner of the adjoining ground has been requested to put back hm fence to the proper line, not to remove any more sand from the Domain, and to leave a batter of at least 14 to 1 to prevent further erosion.