THE BOROUGH AND THE BOULDERS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3461, 13 October 1913, Page 5

THE BOROUGH AND THE BOULDERS

MAYOR VERY SILENT ON THE SUBJECT

MR. TOWNLEY REAFFIRMS HIS CONDEMNATION OF THE SCHEME.

“ONLY A LITTLE USEFUL STONE AT SPONGE BAY.”

The apparent awkwardness of the position in which the Borough now finds itself with reference to its claim to take boulders at Sponge Bay was mention ?d to the Mayor (Mr. J, R. Kirk) bv a “Times” reporter on his return from the South on Saturday. Questioned as to whether it was simply a matter of a legal question, he said that he would hot go that tar. Mr. Kirk also declined to throw any light on the subject as to the party from whom it was stated in the Borough Engineer’s report he had received a tentative option over Wainui' boulders. In this regard, it is now known that the party in question could not have been the Harbor Board, which claims to require and to possess all tlh© boulders between high and low water this side of Tuahine Point, and denies that it has been approached on the matter. Mr. Kirk added that he would be making a statement on the point at Tuesday evening’s meeting of the Council.

Some days ago Mr. John Townley, chairman of the Harbor Board, told a “Gisborne Times” reporter, in an interview, that there was not sufficient stone at ainui to justify the borough going to the expense of laying down a tramline to Kring it into town. In effect, he stated that there was not enough stone on the beach to metal a single street, and even if there were he doubted whether permission would be given to remove it, owing to the erosion of the foreshore which would follow the removal of the natural buffers, and the fact that the Board needed the metal for harbor works.

On Saturday morning Mr. Townley again journeyed around to the vicinity of Sponge Bay, and, in view of the discussion which has been going on in the borough, made another careful inspection of all the available supplies of stone about the beach and on the island.

Speaking to a “Gisborne Times” reporter last night, Mr. Townley said that there was comparatively little stone of any kind, and the bulk of it consisted of papa and soft sandstone. The stone was not suitable for metalling streets, especially as most of the hard stone on the beach had been taken years ago for harbor purposes. Mr. Langlands, the contractor for the extension of the breakwater, was obtaining supplies of shingle on the beach, and had to scratch round where he could.

Mr. Townley said he thought it was ridiculous to think of obtaining boulders from the beach, for as he had said the supply was limited, and of this he estimated that three-quarters was papa, one-eighth soft sandstone, and the remaining eighth of a better quality. Mr. Townley further remarked that the Harbor Board would still require a large amount of stone for its own purposes, and in reply to a question, lie said that it would, of course, be a matter for the Board to decide whether they would allow the Borough to take stone from the beach, but, speaking personally, he thought the Board would require all it could get for harbor works.