THE OCEAN BEACH

Evening Star, Issue 17156, 24 September 1919, Page 4

THE OCEAN BEACH

CITIZENS CALL ON GOVERNMENT TO STAY THE EROSION.

About 100 citizens of St. Kilda and Dunedin attended the ‘meeting called by the Mavor of St. Kilda (Air A. D. Edgar) and held in the Coronation Hall at St. Kilda last night. Mr Edgar, v.-flo occupied the chair, announced several apologies, and read- a letter in which tho Hon. J. T. Paul expressed satisfaction at tho meeting being called, and offered his assistance in any effort towards remedying the present policy of drift. Mr Edgar said the object of the meeting was to try to' get the Government to do something to arrest the erosion at St. Clair and St. Kilda. The sea was encroaching considerably, and the work done by the Ocean Beach Domain Board at certain parts was completely washed away, with every prospect of the mischief continuing Tho Government engineer should give a scheme. No amateur engineering was wanted: The system of groynes, built low at first and raised as the sand makes up, had succeeded in various places—Blackpool, Deal, Ireland, and Ostend for example—and there seemed to be no reason why it should not succeed here. If nothing were done the erosion would soon become very serious. He moved—“ That this meeting of citizens of Dunedin and fit. Kilda strongly protest against the apathy of the Government- in connection with the erosion of the St. Kilda and St. Clair beaches, and as the encroachment of the sea is fast becoming a very serious consideration to the residents, this meeting urge the Government to deal with tho matter, as the meeting consider that such an important and expensive work of this nature comes under the scope of the Government, and that this resolution be forwarded to tho Minister of Public Works.”

The Mayor of Dunedin (.Mr W. Bcgg) seconded. He regretted that such a meeting was necessary. _ He understood that the Borouglf of St. Kilda and the Domain Board bad drawn the attention of the Public Works Minister to the gravity of the position, but, apart from a visit to the spot by Sir Wm. Fraser and members of his staff, nothing had been done. Something should he done at once, either by supplying a/ report or by practical •action. Were they to . wait \till the encroachments had eaten right through and; endangered valuable property? The Public Works Department must be made to realise the importance of doing something more than sending, a telegraphed reply! of' this sort—-it was the reply received from Sir Wm. Fraser: “ Your wire re erosion of St. Kilda Beach received. This is a matter, which more particularly concerns your borough and the City of Dunedin. If any feasible scheme is propounded by these local bodies and approved of by my engineer it is possible some assistance may be given; but it is for you and other local bodies to take the initiative.” The department had definite information' and ) a big body of experts who knew, all

about' it. Laymen could not propound a scheme; th_e would he too much diversity *bf opi. ® They looked to the officials for guidance. They were entitled to some consideration from the department. The erosion was a national question. The Works Department had given attention to a similar erosion in a cemetery at the Bay of Plenty. The City Council could not .take a controlling part in the matter, because the control was in the Domain Board, but certain members of that board were in the City Council, and if they wanted the assistance of the City Council they had only to make the necessary representations and he felt sure they would be attended to. Cr J. H. Hancock said that ho was a member of the Domain Board at the tirst election, 26 years ago. Being asked to accept the chairmanship, ho replied that if they wanted something done they could elect him; if they did not want anything done they could leave him out, 'which they did. The following year the first chairman was informed that ho had duly done nothing, and he (Or Hancock) was elected, and had been in the chair ever since. Mr Seddon’s vote of £IOO for scrub fences was the nucleus of the work done for the preservation of the beach. Next to Mr Seddon in the matter of friendship was Mr Sidey. It was Mr Sidey who got the first vote for groynes, and it was chiefly through him that the other groynes were got, the Government doing the engineering and granting the funds. Those groynes had done their work well. Now, when other groynes were asked for, the Government said they could not grant the money, though it was said they had a surplus of 12 -millions. The reply was preposterous. The only thing was to peg away at the Government till they did their duty, and he thought they would; but the people must make a row first. As to schemes, the Minister knew very well what should • be done. He was well advised by his engineers. Mr Furkert in IdlO strongiy supported the groynes system. The whole of the accumulations of 15 years had been washed away within the last five years. A couple of thousand pounds- spent in groynes would reinstate the foreshore and bi’ing the sand back in a little time. If the Domain Board were given the groynes they would see to the accumulation of grass ipld sand. What if the cost was double what it was before? The need was double. ■ Or JV M‘D onald said that if :;ie sandhills were washed away they could never be replaced. If the Government did not want to spend the money they could at 'least point bo' the remedy ; bub they would not do even that. St., Kilda was in danger, mid no one knew it. .The files of information were perfect, beginning 60 years ago. In ISBS, when the sea flooded portions of the Flat, Mr G. M. Barr reported that some parts of that area were 3ft below high water at the beach. His report was backed up by report? from Mt Hay and other engineers. Levels taken by the city engineer showed that Bums street was 47.10 above the City datum, thb water of Dunedin Harbor. ;47 above,

and the Ocean Beach high water 50 above. Bathgate Park rvas only 43.70 above the City datum. If the Flat lost its natural barrier there would probably be a disaster. Mr C. Todd (president of the Otago Expansion League) said that this matter concerned the whole province, and it was for the Government to see to it, for the foreshore belonged to the Government. The two engineers who were coming to report on the hydro-electric scheme might be asked to report. We in Otago were too alow. A disaster might occur any day, and then wo would ask why we did notforce the Government bo do the right tiling. Mr Sidey had telegraphed that he would look into the matter and see what ho could do. Let them not stop at passing this motion, but drive the matter home and see that they attained their purpose. So far as the Expansion League were concerned, they would put their weight into the scale, and he would do the same. Cr I. Green said hia sympathy was with the residents of St. Kilda and its immediate neighborhood. He looked upon the foreshore as an asset to the City of Dunedin. The question affected the' whole of the City and its surroundings. He thought a mistake had been made in constructing the drive along the shore, Cr Calder said he would support the motion, but he could not understand how people could advocate the erection of groynes. They would do good if the current came along the beach, because they would divert the current. In this case it came straight in, and the sea took no notice of them. He was convinced that the groynes* were doing harm. He was also sure that no straight wall would stand against the sea. Nature set up a protection with boulders, not with groynes. Cr J. Jeffery supported the motion. It was unreasonable to ask St. Kilda to pay the cost. It was the Government’s duty to protect this fine natural asset. The motion was carried by acclamation. . Mr S. B. Macdonald asked who was responsible for selling sand from the sandhills. Mr Edgar replied that any sand removed was from a private section at St. Clair or from a roadline at St. Kilda. Mr Macdonald continued by asserting that tho Domain Board were selling sand at a shilling per load. If there was any sand encroaching on a roadline it should be put back on the sandhills. Cr Hancock answered that Mr Macdonald was astray as to his facts. The Domain Board were selling a few loads of sand near the dressing-sheds to plasterers who were not able otherwise to get sand for their work. This selling was not doing any harm. _ There were millions ,of loads there, and it was piling up year by year. This selling was a very small matter, and it was to enable men to work. At the northern end a man was selling sand from his own privately-acquired section, which he had a perfect right to do. That land should never have been sold. The sand that .was being sold at 3d a load came off a roadline, and This was by arrangement at a meeting called when Mr Macdonald' was Mayor of St. Kilda. The meeting could take his (Cr Hancock’s) word that no

harm was being done. The Domain Board were keeping a sharp look-out.. He had an oiler of a cheque for £7CO' for sand, and replied that tnero was not a load to sell. Tho meeting terminated with thanks to the speakers and a verse of the National Anthem.