ST. CLAIR SECOND BEACH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12854, 24 December 1903, Page 8

ST. CLAIR SECOND BEACH

'A qOASRX QUESKON.,

'AS foe meeting o£ toe Cweislnim. Borough Council Jaet evening- Cγ Carpenter moved—"That the "Works Committee %a instructed to report (1) as to the practicable, aess o£ opening a quarry at the- west end of the second beaoh on, the royalty system; (2) the amount per annum likely to accrue to council, if practicable; and (3) thoeffeot such *ork -would fcave on the public enjoyment." Hβ eajd there was a great deal of ■ Bio'ne required' at present for public purposes, ofld it- would bo ar very good plan, if the council was to make lisa of that at the second beach. It would be a useful quany*, and- the royalty -would l go .towards beautifyingSthe place. He urged that many improvements tnight be made in, the way of tracks, seating accommodation, baths, and a email boat harbour.

Cr Burgess seconded tho motion, but epoke against it, To make a "beautiful place there would take 2000 years. Hβ was willing that the matter should' be reported •upon, but he saw no hope of making a beautiful place. Cr Bedford said some improvements, should be effected on }he beautiful foreHe believed in time there wouldi be a 'carriage drive from the eecond beach, td .Ocean Beach. There wa3 material in •(hat lull'to make the drive, and it only required » tramway to run it across, and then there could; t>9 made not only a carriage drive but a. breakwater. It wie the natural use for the stono in that hill; But it was.an infamous proposition t".suggest a quarry.- and he would oppose it by every ■jncaiis.in his power. Ho would call l public meetings not only in the borough, but in the'city as well. ' Cr. Cole trusted the council would nofc tolerate any such, suggestion as contained! in the motion. To open a quany to obtain metal would be an everlasting blot oil the aajne of the council. He did not think the council could , do it, as portion of the area, was handed over to the couiioil as ft recreation reserve and another as a baths reserve. It lyould be a ein , to so destroy eo beautiful a spot. It was a nice little plot to get hold of a quarry. The letter in relation to this matter, taken in committee at a previous Meeting, kd never cpmo before tho public, and it urns a good thing this discussion had coiiie up so that tho public would know jvfoat was going on, . Cr M'Phersoii said this was all sentiment. It was just, like the tramways going through the. Gardens; people got used to the idea. .The council would got a quarry ready to hand when it was finished with by those opening it. It would do no barm to the .locality, as a cable line ,would be taken along the foreshore to a. point somewhere about the'bathe.

Cr ci>le moved as aa amendment that consideration <of this question be fixed for 12 months .hence.

The amendment was lost by six votes, to fivo, and the motion carried.