SUMNER BAR.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19139, 24 October 1927, Page 4

SUMNER BAR.

NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT. LIEUT-COLONEL HOBDAY'S VIEWS. A plea for the improvement of the bar at Sumner was contained in the prepared speech of Lieut.-Colonel H. S. E. Hobday, V.D., president of the Christchurch Sailing and Power Boat Club, which was to have been made by hini at the club's opening of tho ♦oason at Mouck's iiay on Saturday afternoon. , Imtortunateiy a family illness prevented Lieut.-Colonel Holiday from delivering the speech, but the nature of it was indicated to the public by the Mayor of Christchurch (Air J. K. Archer), who expressed tho wish that because of its interest the Press should publish it in full. It was as follows:

"It is with regret that I refer to tho apathy shown over the proposal to improve the safety of the Sumner Bar. The simple, inexpensive scheme for connecting- the separato rocks inside tha Beacon Rock presented no difficulties and assured some measure of safety by doing away with the present side wash and side currents in a heavy sea. Tho cost, some £3OOO to £4OOO, was so small that it is hard to believe so little interest has been taken in this matter.

"Christchurch is, I fear,_apt to forget that it is a seaport and has a duty in fostering its sea business by providing facilities for the safety of those whose business is on the sea. The clubs on. this estuary provide a first-class school for sea training either for war or for ships of commerce, as we are proud to know that the records of this club already show. Sailors are more essential than soldiers for our home defence. The civilisation of the world has been effected by sailors whose discoveries of peoples formerly unknown Jed to trade and mutual .knowledge, and by this means more than anything else served to establish a tolerance and respect for the opinions and customs of various peoples and to modify our own, with the result that the incessant warfare carried on in the days of our fathers is passed. 4< Thero are thousands of cities in the world who would deem such an access to the sea, as this estuary is, as an inestimable boon. In other places than Christchurch the conditions of the Sumner bar would be deemed a matter for immediate improvement.. Our fathers used this water-way for trade, and sea carriage remains to-day the cheapest means of transport. Our fishing industry leaves much to be desired. Fishermen from Lyttelton are obliged to sail some 15 miles up and down Lyttleton Harbour in order to reach the fishing grounds off the Sumner bar, and the supply of fresh fish in"the City /leaves much to be desired. I have to feel that the Christchurch people are not sufficiently aware of this or of what is wanted to improve matters, and that when impressed with the need of an improvement in the Sumner bar for the benefit not of this or any other club, but for the whole community that we may confidently hope to see an immediate attention to this matter of improving the safety of the Sumner bar.! 1 The Mayor said that h'e was glad to be able to support Lieut.-Colonel Hobday's views. He thought, however, that Sumner being a separate borough, the people of Christchurch naturally did not take the same interest in the bar that they otherwise would. "1 hope," he added, "that the time will sooh come when we shall be a united community in tihis respect."