OCEAN BEACH DOMAIN BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18888, 14 June 1923, Page 3

OCEAN BEACH DOMAIN BOARD

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting’ of the Ocean Beach Domain Board was held at St. Clan - yesterday morning. Mr J. 11. Hancock (chairman) presided, and there were present Messrs W. B. Taverner, >l. Wilson, and J. W . Dove The annual report staled that since the completion of the pile groynes at- St. Clair Beach two years ago the work carried on I. had brer, mostly of a maintenance nature, or fencing, planting, mowing, etc. The groynes at St. Clair, when aided by fascines or bundles of manuka scrub, appeared to fulfil the purpose for which they Were placed there, ns was evidenced by the quantities of sand nccnnudated and held by the whole three groyne?. Especi* ally was this the case at No. 1 groyne, opposite Tor bury road, where both rows of piles were supported by fascines tie sand being held the whole length of the esplanade. The marram grass planted on the face of (ho sandhills at the hack of the groynes (Nos. 2 and 3) was growing and building np iho sand for a distance of 10 chains or more, which meant that there had been no further erosion. As the whole of the ocean drive at this pari had been washed away, n rough path had been made front the beach on to the children’s playground. about 20 chains from Forbury road. in addition to the path mentioned, the paths through (he Ramtvportion of the domain towards .Moreau street had been cleaned np. and were in good condition for pedestrians, notwithstanding the fact that the formation was only of midi material as could he found on the domain. The' city refuse tip at Moreau street was well maintained, and tended to fill a hollow in the sandhills which might cause trouble at that point in case of considerable erosion outside. The (ip was being covered with material being carted off the public streets, which would eventually be grassed and planted with shrubs and trees as soon as a sufficient area was finished. The roadway entrance to the tip, however, was not in as good condition as it should be. As mentioned in the hoard's report for 1915, scrub fencing had been placed from a point opposite Moreau street in somewhat crescent, form for more than a mile towards Lawyer’s Head, thereby marking the temporary boundary and shaping the outline of the main protection to fit. Kilda. This lino had been maintained and had been built up in a wonderful manner, and. by tbe aid of marram grass, had nccnmulated some millions of tons of sand, providing an esplanade practically from St. Clair to the pastern boundary of the domain. TTie recommendations for the present year were—(l) To continue strengthening the outer sandhills by the planting of marram grass, and the sowing of lupines on the northern side; (2) clearing lupine and sowing grass seed on East Park, enlarging of same by some acres, extending footpaths, and covering same with volcanic material found on the domain; (3) planting pimts insignis, clearia traversii, and other suitable shrubs on parts prepared. The revenue of the board for the year amounted to £1277 3s, including balance brought forward from the previous year of £242 Is 7d. _ The major portion of the revenue consisted of the levies on contributing bodies, which totalled £942 15s lOd. The expenditure totalled £774 14s 9d, the major portion of which was for wages. The balance carried forward for the new year is £502 fis 3d. —On (lie motion of Mr Taverner the report and balance sheet were adopted. Mr W. Brown (Sunshine) wrote claiming that the groyne scheme as employed at St Clair and other beaches was his proposal.—The Chairman said that the scheme was an old one. and had been _ decided on by the Public Works in conjunction with the Domain Board. —The letter was rece'ved. The Otago Football Association wrote asking for the use of the same grounds ns. it had last season. —The request was granted. A letter was received from the St. Clair Lawn Tennis. Club accepting the board's offer of ground on the Sandhills to construct courts.—lt was decided to advise the club that rent would be charged from the date of acceptance. Mr J. H. Hancock was re-elected chairman for the twenty-first time. iMr Wilson was elected treasurer, and file members of the board were appointed the Works Committee. At the close of tbe meeting the members of the board paid a visit. of inspection to various parts of the domain and were very pleased to note the improvement that had been effected by the groynes op the foreshore at the St. Clair end of the beach. Regarding the two tips, the view was expressed that they should bn combined so a* to afford proper supervision. Approval was expressed of the intention to make a. . nlantation of trees along the sea side of the track at the back of the batterv. and it was considered that this would be a great improvement. The board further noted with pleasure the increased height, of the • sand "lit' the back of the Tahuna ground. .