DOMAIN BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14084, 12 December 1907, Page 5

DOMAIN BOARD

ANNUAL VISIT OK INSPECTION.

The members of the Domain Board paid their annual visit of' inspection to tho Ocean Reach Domain ycslcrday. Tlio members of the party comprised llie chairman of the board (Mr J. It. Hancock), Messrs 11. Crust, I. Green, J. Arklc, I''. Anderson, and two press representatives. Starting from tho Town Hall at 10.30 a.m., a pleasant. 20 minutes' drive in a cottplc of broughams brought Iho chairman and attending members of his board to the baths at. St. Clair, which were closely inspected, and found to be thoroughly clean and in good repair. Tho necessity for a lmnd-rail feneo on the beach side of the pathway leading to tho baihs was pointed out by the chairman, who mentioned that, two serious accidents, one of which had ended fatally, rcceitilv occurred at this dangerous point, two cyclist riders having fallen over tho sea wall and landed on the boulders below. It was suggested that as the City Corporation owned a porlion of the roadway leading to the baths that, body should be asked to bear a proportion of the cost of fho proposed handrail, and it is undersloed that- an application will be made to to the council in this direction. An evilsmelling sewage or drainage discharge which empties itself on to tho St. Clair beach,, was also pointed out, and the rcccnt, step? taken to induce tho Drainage Board to remove this offensive menace to the public health v.as discussed. Turning from tho disagreeable to the practical and pleasant, the members of the board viewed with satisfaction tho excellent protective. Avork (hat is being accomplished by the pillar groins at the St. Clair end of tho beach, where an extensive body of compact sand now covers tho inroads made by the south-west seas at- this part of the domain. The chairman, whoso enthusiasm in regard to all matters connected with the domain is well known and appreciated, then pointed with pride and satisfaction to the high sand dunes facing the ocean, and which aro now covered from base fo summit with richly flowering lupins, the perfume of which is borne along the seashore and neighbouring localities. A healthy and thriving bordering of marram grass extends along the base of tho sand dunes from St. Clair to St. Kilda, and affords protection and repose to the sand above, and here other patches of marram grass, planted at intervals, bave given protection to the lupins, which now cover the whole face of the hills as well us the gullies and depressions. From Si. Clair the party drove some distance along tho St. Kilda xoad, where hurried refreshment $ wort I partaken of, and a visit of inspection «as then made to the brushwood fences or groins which have done so much to arrest the drifting sand on the beach. Here il was observed that extensive depressions in the beach which were formerly largo lagoons, after liiyh seas anil lidos, aro now raised to a considerable height above sea level, and are gradually being brought to it uniform level, which, when completed, will form an extensive promenade plateau giving a splendid view of the bcaeh from end to end. The sand which drifts against the brushwood fences and speedily covers them is planted over with marram grass, which, in its (urn. arrests further drifting sand, and thus the process of building up is continued until the desired solidarity and levels are reached. As an auxilliary to the work of the brushwood fences and the marram grass the cuttings and branches of lupins in seeding time are placed in depressions and other suitable spots, and these, while assisting to arrest the sand, scatter seeds, which spring up in all directions. forming a strong growth which binds and holds the sand together during the work of reclamation. Judged by tho silent work that, has bee A done by these fences, marram grass, and lupins at this weak spot in the sandhills, the time is very remote when there will be a possibility of the sea. again breaking through nnd inundating poriions of the l'lat. At the St. Kilda junction of the Tahuna Park and St. Kilda electric tramway the party, after a brisk walk, rejoined the conveyanccc, and drove along lowavds the show grounds ami on to Lawyer's Head, where the Peninsula Road Hoard authorities ba\e also done good work in protecting the portion of the sandhills incljded within their jurisdiction. That. i»rtion of the extensive domain of sand which has been used as a sanitary depot was also visited, and here grass, trees, lupin, shrubbery, etc., were found to lie growing in profusion. "Cliisholm's Park." as it is familiarly known, has passed into the hands of the City Corporation, but this body, beyond surveying the area, has done nothing further iu the way of improving it. The last-named jKirtion of tli'- domain is one thai lends itself readily to attractive and' utilitarian inmrnvement and under judicious levelling, planting, and fencing, a splendid recreation area could bo made at this spot, which would form tm attractive resort to the pubic at holiday jyriods. and. at the same time, add eonsiderahlv to the tram revenue. From Lawyer s Head the oar'- drove, via £t. Kilda. baclc to town, the oninion being expressed on all hands that the work of the board during the year at the various poinls named, had been fiarficulnrlv satisfactory.