THE OCEAN BEACH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17791, 25 November 1919, Page 8

THE OCEAN BEACH.

TC THE EDITOR. ■Sir,—The contributing bodies •to the finances of tho Domain Board are being asked to increase their yearly payment. I trust, in all sincerity, that if this "is agreed to the board will bo required to submit for the approval of the city engineer or Mr Tatinock the work that "is proposed to be carried out. Tho chairman admits that ho has been stumbling alonjr all these years on an amount which during iris tenure of office has amounted to close on £6000. In 10 years from now, if he gets what tho board has asked for, ho will have spent another £7000. I am on dangerous ground, I know, when I say thai there is mighty little to show for the money that has been spent. There are lots of people who point out tho advantages of the sand being held in check (one of the contributing reasons for the denuding of the beach); but how much better tho sandhills were i.n the old days, free to everybody to roam about in, instead of, as now, fenced with barbed wire, and the home of all manner of vermin!

Tho contributing bodies are also being asked to hand over a sum with which to erect more groynes at St. Clair. It is inconceivable that any sane person can suggest that tho present groynes, which have been tested for close on 20 years, have been of the slightest use. The chairman of the board, armed with some data he had collected as to how groynes had been of benefit on tho English coast, persuaded the Government to orcci the present groynes at St. Clair, and now apparently another £700 is to be sent after this expenditure. Th» report, of the Government engineer, latelv received, has never been published, but I understand tho Public Works Department rightly says that it takes no responsibility for the success of further groynes. The people of St. Clair should bestir themselves, and prevent with every means in their power tho beach from being further rendered hideous.—l am, etc., G. A. Fentvick. Christchurch, November 21. STATE PURCHASE AND CONTROL. TO THE EDITOH. Sib,—The Rev. J. Milne, in his speech on Tuesday evening, gave us a recital of the report of restriction of tho drink in munition areas at Carlisle. Mr Douglas's speech, in the main, was a condemnation of the prohibition party and its leaders, aptly illustrating the well-known axiom "No case, abuse the other side." Therefore I am quite satisfied there is only one cure for the "cancer in the body politic," and that is to wipe it out altogether.—l am, etc., Diogexks. Caversham, November 21.

— A strange custom is practised among tlx: Eskimos. When a doctor is oalled in he receives his fee as soon as he arrives. If tho patient recovers it is kept; if not, it is returned.