ST. CLAIR BEACH

Evening Star, Issue 17649, 30 April 1921, Page 1

ST. CLAIR BEACH

ENGINEERS’ REPORTS. DOMAIN BOARD’S INTENTIONS. The Domain Board held a special meeting on Thursday for the purpose of considering two reports relative to the St. Clair groynes and the general question of taking further steps to prevent the erosion on the beach. Tho hoard had before it a report by tlm city engineer regarding the hoarding up of the groynes, and in which he stated, inter aha—“Mr Campbell, district engineer, rings up on the subject of the hoarding of the. Si. Clair groynes. As reported in a previous memo., bo suggested then the filling up under the hoarding of groyne No. 1' with rock. The .space below the boards at the groynes has increased lately hy the sinking of the stones under them or an upward movement of tho piles in the, groyne under the buffeting of recent storms. Tho making up of tho space with rock or the Jetting down of the boards is again suggested. I. think the two lowest boards should he, let dose down without delay in all places where there is an o)>en space under the. hoarding, the upper of tho boards to be left where it is.’’

A minute. was also forwarded 1»y i\!r M'Cnrdie embodying the opinion of the district engineer, Public Works Department, who wrote as follows:—“I think the Domain Hoard should he very strongly advised to put .311 of stone into each of the three groynes at St. Clair, as we discussed on the- ground. This seems the easiest tray of making them function. Also, the stone protection being placed at the foot of the sfandhills is too steep on tins sea side, and should he at least one in three, to lessen the danger of securing the sand away. As it is, it will have the same effect as the esplanade wall. The sea on striking the stone will be thrown into the air, and, falling on t }j*■ soft sand at the toe, will cerlainly and quickly scour out tee sand and undermine the stone works' After very full discussion it was decided that, subject, to Die approval of 11 1 0 Government Public Works engineer, the board proceed at once with tho filling in of the Xo. I groyne (opposite the cud of Forhurv road) with stones by day labor. At tin' same time it was resolved to draw the attention of the City Council to the need for the immediate construction of an apt on of .'tone at the foot of the csplanad' wall. .Members of the hoard were of the opinion that the filing in of the groyne with stone was all that was required to make the structure function properly, but it was .also held that the’effect of the work would be largely minimised so long as the existing scour from tho perpendicular face of the esplanade wall was unchecked. For that reason the board considered that the apron should ba completed before the groyne was filled. An.scorn he, Smith, and Associates, architects, forwarded a proposal lor raising the level of too beach and retaining the sand by means of wickerwork .mattresses.