ENCROACHMENT OF THE SEA AT ST. CLAIR AND THE OCEAN BEACH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9138, 10 June 1891, Page 2

ENCROACHMENT OF THE SEA AT ST. CLAIR AND THE OCEAN BEACH.

The position of the St. Clair esplanade yesterday was practically unaltered since the tide of the preceding afternoon receded. During the night the storm to o very great extent abated, with the gratifying result that the morning tide was somewhat lower than the high tide which preceded it. However, the esplanade immediately in front of Miss Wilson's vacant section is still subject to the invasion of the sea, the sand having broken away until it is impossible to pass in front of the fence. Fearing further encroachment, Misa Wilson had a gang of men employed yesterday placing crates filled with stone at the foot of the Eand face, and as it is intended to back these up with sand bags there will probably be no further encroachment at that particular point until a repetition of Monday's high tide occurs. From the central battery right along to St. Clair the sea has cut into the sandhills to a serious extent. The backwash accompanying the heavy surf has lowered the general level of the beach to a sensible degree, and of course the higher waves strike the base of the sandhills with considerable force, every wave bringing down falls of sand. Already part of Mr Mitchell's fence is undermined, and with a recurrence of high .tides a further invasion of the sandhills is inevitable, unless the level of the beach rises in the interval—an improvement not likely to. take place by natural.agencies alone. It is evident that tho time has arrived to do something for the protection of property at St. Clair, and further delay will only lead to disaster. Unfortunately the owners of the property immediately threatened with danger are too few in number to be expected to undertake a wock of such magnitude as a successful barring back of the sea at St. Clair means.

The baths have not suffered any material damage, although tho sea made a clean breach through the foundation of the bathkeepei's house and into the cellar.

At the Ocean Beach the sandbags placed across the breach on Monday night successfully shut oat the sea, which has not found an entrance since. Here the encroachment is by no means of a serious nature, as there is a broad expanse of high sand between the suif and the gap through which the water flowed on Monday afternoon. The work of cloaiog this gap is not an arduous undertaking, anil there is no cause for alarm in the meantime. Property-holders may rest assured that in the ordinary course of events there is no likelihood of the sea doing any material damage if a little protective work is done in the meantime.