PROTECTION OF BEACH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19469, 27 October 1926, Page 14

PROTECTION OF BEACH.

TAKAPUNA SEWAGE SCHEME. HARBOUR BOARD'S OBJECTIONS. Tests carried out, by Auckland Harbour Board officials show that the point near the bottom of St. Leonard's Road selected by the Takapuna Borough Council for its outlet sewer is not suitable owing to the danger of matter discharged from the sewage system finding its way to the Takapuna Beach. Accordingly the board yesterday decided to advise the council of its disapproval of this site for the outfall. The harbourmaster, Captain 11. H. Sergeant, and the engineer, Mr. D. Holderness, reported they had carried out tests with floats. In the first hour of the ebb tide, with a light southerly wind blowing, the floats liberated near the suggested site of the outfall, drifted slowly down channel and eventually came ashore on various parts of the beach. The same test made -when the wind was from tho north-east revealed that floating matter would come ashore much more quickly, the floats in some cases returning to the foreshore near the outlet. Tho chairman, Mr. H. R. Mackenzie, in moving that, the board advise the council that it disapproved the discharge of raw sewage at this point, said tho board would not be doing its duty if it did not see that the valuable beaches were protected. The board had offered the council a site for septic tanks and if the discharge were treated by such a plant much of the objection would disappear. The chairman's proposal was adopted.