THE ST. CLAIR BEACH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16315, 23 February 1915, Page 6

THE ST. CLAIR BEACH.

Sm,—l regret that my expectations relative to the spoiling of our beach, ae pointed out in my letter a few weeks ago, are so soon being realised. In your comments last Friday on this subject you remark that the stones have been washed nut of the new wall at its northern end— this should be the eastern end, as the beach runs almost east, to west —ae a result of the recent hard westerly gales. Well, westerly gales are considered off-ahore, and nut likely to cause heavy seas. When we have a real southerly gale, which "-would poniQ straight on to the beach with its full force, wo shall see what it can do. It seems clear to me that, when a solid wall ie placed for the waves to hit, the sea must epend its force in washing , away the sand till the depth is reached when its power ie lost. It has been said that the boulders now* lying on the beach are remains of the previous wall. If so, and if there is an abundant depth of sand underneath, it, of course, is only a question of labour to remove the stones in order that we may have a eand beach, at a lower level, opposite the espUnad*, provided the present level is not to be further lowered by the sea. In tbo latter case the concrete wall will be endangered. As regards the rabble wall alongside the road, it is almost certain to cause the sand to bo washed away, and then, having no support, the, stones will fall and be scattered by each heavy sea, as has been the case with previous walls at St. Clair.—l am, etc., St. CUm. February 22.