EROSION BY SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22512, 1 September 1936, Page 10

EROSION BY SEA

NEW PLYMOUTH FORESHORE DANGER TO RAILWAY LINE [by telegraph OWN correspondent] NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday The whole staff of the Sash and Door Company was rushed to the premises of the company in Woolcombe Terrace to-day to move huge, stacks of timber to prevent their being lost over the cliff where the sea erosion in the past few days has been making rapid inroads. The erosion has undermined the cliff, causing slips which have carried away approximately half of the section, and now the process is being speeded up. The danger is that unless something is done to halt the erosion the sea will encroach upon the main railway line, which is now about 40ft. from the edge of tho cliff and is in a deep cutting. If once the sea was able to break through to the lino it would sweep in both directions along the cutting, tearing up the ballast and eroding the cliff from behind as well as in front. With the increasing rapidity of the erosion there is real danger to the railway. With the next heavy storm the cliff face at this point will fall back several more feet. The eroding power of the sea is shown by the fact that practically all the debris carried down in the slips of the past week has already been scoured away. Where huge piles of spoil rested the beach is now swept clean.

It is evident that the whole of Woolcombo Terrace is in such a state that tho next storm from the sea will cause slips along the entire cliff face. The Sash and Door Company is particularly unfortunate in having to move the timber back from its position near the edge of tho cliff, as this site, exposed to tho sea winds, was an ideal place for seasoning timber.