Hawke's Bay Herald TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1867. THE LATE INUNDATION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 836, 19 March 1867, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1867. THE LATE INUNDATION.

One of the things which will deraaud the earnest attention of the new Council, upon its first sitting, will be the state of the Eastern Spit — the part; of the town where the greater number of the merchants' stores are situated, and where a large amount of valuable property is stored. During the late gale, the state of the spit was such as to afford great cause of apprehension. The

sea broke over in mauy places, particularly behind the boat shed built by the late Mr. H. Morrison, and serious inroads from seaward pointed to a peril still more alarming. There was also great risk of property consequent upon the body of water which rose — flooding the streets and stores to a depth probably not kuown on any former occasion. The question of harbour or spit improvement has for some time been a bugbear to our Provincial Council. The adage " Once bit twice shy" has been very applicable to this case. But the question now assumes greater importance than it ever did before. The very existence of both spit and harbour would seem to be imperilled, and the necessity of something being done has been urged upon the Government in the most forcible of all wayß. The want of money, in this as in many other works of great necessity, will be felt as a difficulty ; but, in this case, we cannot help thinking that the work of reclaiming valuable land aud, by the same process, strengthening the Spit, might be carried on in such a manner as to be reproductive, or nearly so. At all events, the cost of such works would be greatly lessened by the value of the swamps reclaimed, while the double advantage would be gained of strengthening the Spit, and of giving work to the laborers now unemployed, as well as those expected by the " Montmorency."