ANDERSON’S BAY INLET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20415, 23 May 1928, Page 11

ANDERSON’S BAY INLET.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib. —Your correspondent, “ Beauty Lover,” must have a distorted sense of things beautiful. He writes, “See the Anderson's Bay lagoon at high tide. Un* fortunately, it is not high tide all the time. At low tide the inlet is the most foul, contaminating quagmire m New Zealand, and that is saying something. I would ask “Beauty Lover” to sit for an hour or two at the foot of Silverton street, or Somerville street, or in Vauxhall, when the tide is out. Then the real “ beauty ” of the Bay is apparent—slime, tins, empty iron tanks, broken bottles, filth, dead fish. If this “beauteous” sight is not enough, I commend the stench to “Beauty Lover.” Anderson’s Bay residents have tolerated the odorous quagmire long enough, and are determined to do all in their power to have the whole inlet filled in. The Harbour Board authorities have made is quite clear they will entertain nothing but entire reclamation. Partly to reclaim means erecting a wall costing £15,000, and even then it is not possible to get the dredge inside the inlet. Obviously, the only thing the Harbour Board can do is reclaim entirely or leave the Bay alone altogether. Reclamation would mean ample sports grounds and playing areas not only for Bay residents but for all citizens of Dunedin, besides providing some magnificent residential sites. The idea of a boat harbour is all “ moonshine,” and those suggesting it know it. Any thought of part reclamation, part boating area, must be discounted when it is remembered that, even if it were possible to dredge out a portion of the inlet for a boat harbour, it would again silt up after ]2<*nonths. Thirty years ago the present inlet was a fine white sandy stretch, but over the years the silt and slime have washed in and made the inlet what is to-day an absolute eyesore and menace to public health. The Bay residents, I am sure, will not be deterred by correspondents such as “ Beauty Lover ” from availing themselves of the Harbour Board’s offer to fill in the whole bay and nothing hut the whole bay.

I think it would be a good idea if Bay residents had some* sort of a beautifying society. I would suggest the formation of an Anderson’s Bay Beautifying and Improvement Society, this body to act in conjunction with the Anderson’s Bay Ratepayers’ Association. After all,_the latter organisation cannot be expected to push the council into beautifying '"■orbs for the benefit of Bay residents. Tne Ratepayers’ Association should concentrate on the job of getting drainage, footpaths, and necessary reading work done. An amenities society, styled the Beautifying and Improvement Society, could set about beautifying the Bay when the reclamation work .is done. I suggest a rock garden at Ross’s Corner, with the removal of unsightly wooden building at the same corner, as. a first job. There is room, Sir, at the Bay for such a society, which could organise a carnival for funds similar to the carnivals which were held at St. Kilda and St. Clair. The Ratepayers’ Association has* its work cut out to get decent reading, drainage, etc., and should be unceasing in its efforts to get the open drains in Somerville street and Sunbury street areas filled in. The street, with the open effluvious. disgraceful drains, bearing the honoured name of the chairman of the Ratepayers’ Association, is no compliment to him or to Bay residents or to the Public Health Department I ask some of the older residents to convene a meeting to form a beautifying society for Anderson’s Bay, and I promise to give a good donation to help to beautify the Bay, but the Bay will never be beautiful until the cesspool fronting it is entirely reclaimed. If a boat harbour is wanted, let it be outside the inlet. Bay residents have no desire to see their children’s lives jeopardised with boat harbours in the inlet. “ Beauty Lover ” has a peculiar imagination. He says, “Think of the Avon at Christchurch ! ” Yes, think of it ! A beautiful, fresh, running stream. Think of the inlet—a fetid, slimy, tin-littered, decayed fish-strewn, nauseating, unhealthy, and obnoxious area, which will always be so, unless reclaimed, and • as the Harbour Board offers to reclaim it. Bay residents are going to see to it that the board’s offer is quickly accepted.—l am, etc.. Bay Resident. May 22.