THE ST. CLAIR BEACH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9093, 18 April 1891, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE ST. CLAIR BEACH.

TO TIIE EDITOn,

Sir, Ib was an unfortunate coincidence that the very day your article on St. Clair appeared, in which yoa referred to the works of Mr O'Connor a3 effectually protecting a portion of the foreshore from the inroads of the 6ea, that tha sea should'have commenced to take those protecting works away, and now they have practically disappeared. Tho fault, however, does not lie in Mr O'Connor's design, but in the way it was carried out. For some years I have been taking notes of the level of the sand adjacent to the St. Clair esplanade, and I can positively etate that at the time the saplings, in accordance with Mr O'Connor's plan, were laid down the surface level of the sand was 3ft above the lowest level I had previously observed. New, the trench in which the seaward and lower end of the saplings wero placed was nob more than 3ft deep; and it is obvious that, in ovent of the sand level being lowered 3ft, the saplings would be left bare, and be washed away. Since the saplings were placed in position, till within the last six weeks, there was not any material alteration in the level of the sand, and though a second row of saplings which had been placeil further out to sea was washed away during the summer months, the upper row maintained its position, and effectually kept buck the sea. But during the last six weeks, influenced by successive westerly gales, the eand level commenced to fall, and lost Saturday it was 3ft lower than at the time the saplings were put in position, and in consequence the sea unearthed theta and washed them away. Now, if tho saplings were to be replaced when the sand is at a low level, as it is at present, there would be very little danger of tho sea ever undermining them and washing them away.—l aDSt. olair, April 16. Robeiit Pauhn.

The Arsua says that tha new Cromwell bridge promises to be a very handsome Btructure. The girders now reach the first pier.