LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16292, 27 January 1915, Page 9

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE ST. CLAIR BEACH. Sliß, —Regarding the road now being formed from St. Clair to St. Kilda in front of the Sandhills, I think it is too early to say that it will mean a permanent defacement. Mr M'Curdie, who planned the esplanade, made a splendid job of that work, as even those who opposed it do now acknowledge, and he can be entrusted not to leave the present work ho has in hand till he is satislied with it. The intention, no doubt, is to face the rubble embankment, and unless I am mistaken the sand will gradually cover it up, in any case. There is very little doubt that Mr Al'Ourdie would have preferred to carry on the esplanade, and the road in course of formation will be much appreciated. All credit is due to those who are responsible for the initiation of the work. Tho condition of the beach in front of the esplanade as at present is a decided eyesore, but we have to thank the elements for that, and the sand will cover up the stones again, a 6 it has done on other occasions.

Those unsightly groins do not tend to enhance the appearance of the beach, and it is a question whether this would not be a fitting time for their removal, when they could so easily be dug out. —I am, etc., Dunedin, January 23. A Ratefater.

Sib, —After reading your last leader on tho defacement of St. Clair I motored out to the favourite suburb to see for myself tho amount of the damage done by the sea. I remember, some yeare ago, the seafront at l3t. Clair -.vas a perfect wreck But what do we find to-day at St. Clair? We find a beautiful concrete esplanade, strong, and thoroughly effective against the great power of the sea. Certainly, the sand has been washed away opposite the esplanado, ana has left exposed a number of large stones. Any observer will see at a glance that the stones are stili about 18in above the level of all the beach from St. Clair to Lawyer's Head at about low-water mark. Tho stones certainly spoil the beach as a playground for old and young. But I think the whole trouble could be put right by removing all the stones from the beach, say, to within 30ft of the base of the concrete esplanade, and using them to help to form tho now esplanado. I think, also, that all the piles should be removed, as fchf.y are nothing but an eyesore at present. I think the Domain Board would get three times more money for the piles than it would cost to take them out. If all that was done, I am quite sure the beach would revert to its original state, and become a beautiful sandy boaoh. As long as the stones remain the sand will not collect. That is my experience of the beach, for the last 50 years. As for the new part of the esplanade, 1 am delighted with it. It is just tho thing that should be done. Tho engineers who have it in hand arc carrying out the work in a thoroug-nly practical way, and there is no doubht they have taken Nature for their guide. I rind wherever there is a sandy beacn with a boulder bank it is formed exactly as the engineers are doing at St. Clair, only that there is a bigger slope on the rubble wall. Anyone taking an interest in tho esplanade will observe that the bottom of the rubblo wall starts at highwater mark, and then runs up in a elopo for about 25ft, completely protecting the roadway above. Why you should condemn the work is a perfect mystery to me. When the road can be carried along as far as St. Kilda (of course, it will have to be reclaimed first —that is to say, raised up by the scrub fences and marram grass), I hope the Domain Board will take steps to reserve one or two sections on the town side of the road for large ooncrete baths, as the baths at St. Ciair are far too much overcrowded, oven at the present time. I may point out that these sections for tho baths would not require to be reclaimed or raised up, as ail the beach is at high water. Now, by leaving these sections for do baths in their natural- state, a largo sum of money wonV] be saved when the baths aro made. 1 understand that is the plan that has boon carried out at Golden Gate, San Francisco. I hope the Domain Board will insist on the road being 1£ chains wide to St. Kilda. I am sure it will be the very making or St. Kilda. I suppose the Domain Board intends to carry the esplanade from St. Clair to Lawyer's Head in time, keeping strictly to the natural detour of tho highwater mark.—l am, etc., X. Dunedin, January 25.