OUR OTAGO LETTER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1775, 14 March 1906, Page 44

OUR OTAGO LETTER.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

THE HARBOUR. ENTRANCE.

Seeing that some little time since a more or" less alarming article concerning Otago Harbour gained currency, it is gratifying to learn that the works in progress near the entrance designed to straighten and deepen the main channel are “panning out” quite up to expectations. The members of the Harbour Board paid a visit to the scene of operations early last week, and found the groins^on the north spit doing all that Avas required, and everything points to the difficulty of the drifting sand, formerly a menacing feature, now being overcome. The dredge is at Avork on the initial out of the new channel, and the average depth of AVater behind her is about 23 feet at loav Avater. When the new Avail, noAV AA r ell in hand, is completed, the engineer is confident that there Aviir be ample scour to maintain the neAV channel at the requisite depth, and should no unforeseen impediment arise the navigability of the entrance AVill no longer present any serious menace to shipping. NEGLECTED BEAUTY SPOTS. Oboe again attention has been directed in the columns of the press to the neglected beauty spots adjacent to Dunedin, and to the seemingly amazing apathy of the hulk of the citizens in this matter. Complaint has been made time and again c.f the way in which our scenic attractions are absolutely overlooked by visitors —and all on account of the apathy of ourselves. It is quite true that the average visitor would not be readily persuaded to walk several miles to the base of Flagstaff before commencing the ascent to the Upper Leith Valley to vieAV the romantic scenery and Avaterfalls, nor yet to the Upper Junction, from Avlien to gain an incomparable view of Otago Harbour and the Peninsula. These are but a feAV of our attractive physical features, and in order that Ave ourselves, not to mention strangers Avithin our gates, shall know more of the choicest endoAvments left us by nature, it .is necessary to have easy means of access to and from the points of interest. I for one am delighted to see this matter given prominence through the press, for the apathy of the public has been too long existent. THE DRAINAGE SCHEME.

The acceptance of the resignation of its engineer (Mr Noble Anderson) at the last meeting of the Drainage Board did not ocoasion more than passing comment, it having been recognised that no other course Avas open to Mr Anderson Avhen the Board decided recently to tighten the rein on its expenditure. Apparently both parties to the severance are on the best of terms —amounting almost to friendliness —in the matter, and Mr Anderson, in asking to be relieved from duty, indicates with pleasure that the change in the character of the ground excavated on the route of the main intercepting seAver gives almost certain assurance that the main engineering difficulties of the scheme have noAV been satisfactorily surmounted. While it is indeed satisfactory to have this optimisto view of the engineer, the fact remains that the ratepayers have a big undertaking before them and it is open to question Avliether the tightening of the sorew in relation to expenditure and the relieving from duty of Mr Anderson while the scheme is yet far from completion is in the best interests of the city and of the ratepayers. Time Avill tell. GENERAL. The weather is still “all Avrong.” A shivering citizen on a city car Avas heard to remark the other evening: “Overcoats and wraps in giddy March—the thing is absurd!” And so say all of us. Bostock and WombAvell’s circus is drawing record houses. The show abounds in novelties, and the hypnotic person Williams is an undoubted draAv. The intimation that Williams, while in an hypnotic trance would be placed six feet underground, Avas received with a more than average amount of doubt as any one acquainted Avith the locality kneiv the project to be impracticable. Six feet beloAV the surface of .the Oval—Ugh! The management found an alteration in its plans imperative on account of the quantity of water met with, and the sleeping wonder now lies in state in a separate tent. The Amateur Athletic meeting at Ohrisbrook last Saturday was a huge success. Some fine performances were put up by Burk, Drake, Murray, Prenderville and others. The last-named performer Avas singled out for particular notice for his meritorious effort in the three-mile flat championship. The young Wellingtonian finished full of “go,” Avinning easily.