BEACH IMPROVEMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23013, 16 October 1936, Page 7

BEACH IMPROVEMENT

CITY'S MARINE PLAYGROUND WORK OF DOMAIN BOARD The improvements that have been effected to the surroundings of St. Clair and St. Kilda beaches by the Ocean Beach Domain Board are many; and year by year the vyork goes on of converting bare and' uninviting sandhills into attractive parks and playing fields, with .the result that there are slowly developing in the vicinity of those popular summer resorts amenities of which the city has every reason to be proud. One of the board's chief concerns is, of course, the serious erosion of the sand at St. Clair which takes place almost every winter with the occurrence of the strong south-westerly winds. Duiing the past two years this erosion has been greater probably than ever before, and at the present time a long line of rocks at the foot of the esplanade bears eloquent testimony to the force of the scour. For about half a mile along the beach towards St. Kilda there has been a deep " cut" into the sandhills, and now, instead of the usual slope to the beach, there is a perpendicular bank of sand rising from the level beach. Fortunately for the bathing public, the sand generally returns during the spring months, and even now the beach shows signs of improvement. The theory has been advanced that the sand, which comes originally from the rivers and is washed down the coast, is " short in supply " when the rivers are not in flood, and that the beach will be replenished as soon as flooding occurs. The Domain Board is taking active steps to prevent further erosion by erecting scrub fences along the beach and by covering some of the seaward dunes with brush, and this appears to be having the desired effect. The members of the board made a visit of inspection to the beaches yesterday morning, the party consisting of Mr J. Wilson (chairman), the Mayor of St. Kilda (Mr J. J. Marlow), and Messrs M. Silverstone, F. Wilkinson, W. A. Scott, J. L. M'lndoe, R. A. Johnston (secretary), and the foreman of works (Mr L. Wraight), and the improvements that have been made and are still being carried out are a distinct credit to these men, who have the interests of the district at heart. The continuation of the Esolanade at St. Clair towards St. Kilda—a work completed about six months ago—is a noteworthy improvement that should be welcomed by those who frequent the beach during the summer, and its neat 6tone walls, smooth asphalting and new seats enhance the beauty it this "part of the suburb. Further along the pathway to St. Kilda has been built up, the sides of the embankment being thickly covered with iceplant, which is already coming into flower, while the green sole of grass on Kettle and Hancock Parks and the tidy aspect of the Watea Club's coquet green show that the board is alive to the desirability of improving the landward side of the sandhills. In these two parks the citizens have playing fields that are of considerable use to the school children, the Rugby Union, and the general public. The level of Hancock Park is being raised, half the work having been completed, and the remaining portion will doubtless be raised some time in the future. Other improvements of a minor nature give the whole stretch from St. Clair to St. Kilda a tidy appearance that is vastly different from the conditions that obtained some years ago. MEETING OF BOARD At the conclusion of the inspection a meeting of the board was held, Mr J. Wilson presiding. SAND EROSION A letter vvas received from the St. Clair Improvement Association regarding the serious erosion of sand at the beach. It was suggested that the time was opportune for the matter to be taken up by the Marine Department in an endeavour to have a survey made of the coast, The chairman said that they should concentrate on the scrub fences on the beach as much as possible in order to get the sand to consolidate. Mr M'lndoe considered that the board should make the request to the Marine Department. The'' secretary said that such a survey would cost an enormous sum. The Government had recently decided to commence a survey, however, but he did not know where it would be started. On Mr Silverstone's suggestion it was decided to obtain more information from the Government regarding the proposed survey. CORRESPONDENCE

The New Zealand Surf Life Saving Association complained that the harnacles on the piles at the St. Clair beach were a danger to bathers and also hindered the work of the association, as there was a danger that the life line would be cut or become tangled in them. It suggested that the piles should <e removed altogether or that they should be completely boarded up on the outside. —It was decided to inform the association that the board had no money at present to carry out the work. The St. Clair Lawn Tennis Club asked for a grant of more land to enable the club to build a new and larger pavilion, the present one being inadequate for its needs. A request was also - made that something should be done to prevent surface water from the jourts running down the bank fronting Victoria road. —The application for more land was granted, subject to the board approving of the new build-

ings, and it was decided to do portion of the work, as suggested by the club, on condition that it provided the materials. The Postmaster-peneral (M. F. Jones) wrote stating that in view of the board's limited resources and the serious consequencer that might result if repairs to the protection works at the St. Clair Beach were not undei taken early, he had made representations to the Minister of Public Works in support of the board's request that the Government provide approximately £65 to enable the board to renew the planking on the two groynes which were erected in 1921. The Minister had replied that he had perused a report from his department on the matter, and it appeared that no maintenance had ever been done bv the board since the groynes were constructed and that the timber planking had nearly all disappeared The sand seemed to come and go according to the vagaries of thp weather, and within recent years the depletion to the beach sand had happened on three occasions and had been replaced by natural causes. As the board was in receipt of certain revenues, it should be able to maintain the groynes itself, and the Government could therefore not *ant assistance.—Received.

The City Council advised that it had decided to make a grant of £369 for the special purpose of enabling the board to meet charges for material and cartage in connection with scheme No. 5 works which were being carried out by the board The St Kilda Council also advised that it had decided to grant £3) in addition to the statutory levy, for the same purpose.—Received. The St. Kilda Borough Council sought the co-operation of the board to have dogs prohibited on the beach in the interests of the children and the public generally.—lt was decided to reply that the board had given instructions to its staff on the Domain to keep the nuisance as much under control as possible. The St. Clair Improvement Association wrote stating that it was agreeable to supplying the necessary frames and timber for seats on the new portion of the Esplanade, pro vided the board undertook the work. —lt was reported that the saats had been erected and were a great asset to the locality. WORK OF, FOREMAN

The chairman referred to the excellent work done by the foreman (Mr L. Wraight). He had worked at all hours on the Esplanade with unskilled laboui and it was a great satisfaction to the board to see the work completed in such a straightforward manner. The speaker suggested that the board do something to show its appreciation.-—lt was decided to increase the foreman's wages and to grant him a month's holiday on full pay.