HARBOUR BOARD ENDOWMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13637, 5 July 1906, Page 8

HARBOUR BOARD ENDOWMENTS.

Sin.—Public feeling in Dunedin has at last been aroused over the taking of land from the Harbour Board for railway purposes. Those who take an interest in Harbour Board matters have known for yeais past that the hoard was l»=ing inrprc sums of money annually through tho loss, of im.-rw'c. from this cause. At present feeling is strong against, the Government for this spoliation, but not one word has been said about the masterly inactivity of the board in the mattor of revenue through want of action in pushing the sale of leases, Sonic months ago the University Council took it into its. head t.i lcii.se the kind round Tan nil Bill for building purposes, and we now see how successful they have been in disposing of their properties, which are bringing in a handsome revenue. Not so with the Harbour Hoard. With the exception of one block at the rear of the Railway Station, no part of the board's reserves has been leased of recent yews. The reason is not far to seek. Instead of bringing its energies to bear on onesection, and reclaiming it at once, th" spoil is spread over close on 100 acres. And this br'inss ns to the question of the sand pump. Is it doing satisfactory work? We think not. The Vulcan is moored in a nit excavated by the big dredge, and from there pumps the spoil on to the part to be reclaimed—sometimes a matter of half "■ mile or more. According to the board's reports, the Vulcan can pump in two hours as much as the dredge will lift in a shift of eight hours. What. tlr-n. is she doing for the rest of the day? Pumping water! If seems so. Why is the Vulcan not senl on a roving commission right along the shore towards Ravcnsbourno? Tliere is nothing to prevent her making a channel 100 yards wide by 20ft dcerj all the way along. The big dredge could follow her up. and still dump her load alongside the Vnle&n. The board's officers will probably replv that she hps not power enough. But this answer will not do. as she nnppared to have power enough to work for some months in the Victoria Channel, off Burke's. Had Iho board done this work from the commencement, the larre area of ground on the town side of the Cement Works would have been reclaimed ere ibis. The board could then have prevented tho Railway Department from building in front, of the Pelichet Bay Railwav Station. The railway line could have been taken in an almost direct line from the now station to Black Jack's Point, or what is locally known as Sandy Bottom. Any citizen can see the feasibleness of this by standing on the railway line at Hanover street, and looking towards Ravenshourne. Pelichet Bay Railway Stalion could then bo done away with. What a magnificent asset the board would have badsome 50 acres all on the town side of the railway. This would also have, lieen the first step towards doubling tho Port Chalmers railway line, besides reducing the distance between Dunedin and Ravensbourne by a third. The Harbour Board would also have had access to their quarry at Logan's Point. By making a training wall on each side of 'he Leith from Harbour Terrace Bridge fr the sea. iho land on each side could be reclaimed and several sections at once pit np for lease. The north side of tho I sith is at present a dumping ground for city refuse. Citizens know too well what that means. This is not all that would follow the satisfactory working of the sand pump. Pi of essor Marshall has said that, a twodays' flood on the Water of Lcith brings down thousands of tons of solid material in suspension, which finds its way into (he Victoria Channel; in fact, the big dredge is at present removing a shoal opposite tho mouth of tho Leith. If the sand pump dredged a deep channel along the foreshore, pumping the spoil on to the reclaimed land, this would tend to intercept, any heavy matter brought down the - river. Another matter the board has alway overlooked, and that is the matter of the health of the community. With deep water aii along the foreshore, pedestrians would not. experience the delightful aroma rising from the various beaches on a summer evening. With a progressive policy on the part of the board, we would have a well-faced wall from tho foot, of the ovevbridge to the powder hulk. The area tnus reclaimed would prove a valuable asset, besides securing a marked benefit to the residents along the Anderson's Bay road. Of eouvse, we will be told this is contrary to the advice of Sir John Coode, who maintained that the waters of the bay should bo allowed to spread over as much beach as possible. But the board has long since set this advice at naught, and the health of the community demands that the beach should either be covered by water or reclaimed.

It ia tofc hoped that the. present agiUv

tion will cause tho Harbour Board to piosecute a vigorous policy in tire matter of leasing its reserves. ' It is only a matter of a few years when the Otago Harbour Board will be the richest Harbour Hoard in New Zealand.—l am, etc., A, Wilson. Clarendon street, July 4.