SILT FROM WAIMAK. MAKES SEA RETREAT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19080, 27 May 1930, Page 9

SILT FROM WAIMAK. MAKES SEA RETREAT.

GEOLOGIST'S VIEW GIVEN COMMISSION ON ACCESS,

That silt brought down by the Waimakariri River had caused the sea to retreat at New Brighton and Sumner in recent years was maintained by Professor R. Speight, of the chair of Geology at Canterbury College, in giving evidence before the Commission on direct access to the sea from Christchurch. Professor Speight said that he could remember that when he was a boy the sea came up as far as the front line of houses at New Brighton. Now it was several chains back, due to the accumulation of sand brought down by a coastal drift from the Waimakariri. Mr J. Longton (Port Christchurch League): What makes you think the silt from the Waimakariri? Professor Speight: From where else could it have come? “From all along the coast,” replied Mr Longton. In reply to Mr D. Holderness, a member of the Commission, Professor Speight said that the southerly drift was inshore and did not appear to go past Lyttelton heads, where it met a southerly drift which Banks Peninsula deflected out to sea. Sir Walter Stringer (president of the Commission) said that the silting-up coxild be seen round the Sumner pier. "Years ago Cave Rock had a good deal of sea about it,” continued Professor Speight. "The bathing pool has been filled up with sand in a few months. With the extra protective works in the Waimakariri more silt will come down.” Mr Longton: If the Waimakariri were harnessed for electrical power in the upper reaches, that would prevent much of the silt coming down. That was one of our schemes. Professor Speight agreed with Mr Longton’s remark, and said that if a wall were erected on the northern side of the entrance to the proposed harbour in the estuary the sand would become troublesome. Mr Longton: Then we can go further out to sea.

Professor Speight (with a smile) Oh, yes.