THE PRESERVATION OF BEACHES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 562, 17 July 1909, Page 10

THE PRESERVATION OF BEACHES.

i Sir, —The inhabitant* around the ' shores pf Port Nicholson are! possessed with;a-sort of infatuation for ; reclaiming and waiting but. the_ -natural beaches.' Orjetttal Bay beach:might'belnade'a'mo'st attractive playground for .great numbers of the .town.children if a few. dredge loads of shingle; and sandl_weTO deposited near low, water which the n6rth-west seas would drive ashore, and' if it 'were ' scavenged weekly and kept' free from tins and other.'rubbish; which • fre: quently are lodged' there. There is no better recreation ground than a bit of shingly sandy seabeach; It is a mistake to wall off all tho natural; foreshore. - •; The Borough Council of' Petone has recently propounded a scheme for a most impossible narbour basin, in the worstpossiblo situation, with a certainty, if it were executed, of destroying one of the; finest-natural beaches in the . district/ which forms the one 'great attractive feature from a residential and sanitary point r pf;view which Petone possesses. Another farty <schemes\to build'a railway line' along it to serve the interests of some parties unknown to the general: 'public. If. those: "worthy seekers .after .individual advantages .'at 4he'expense of the genorarpub-:, lie succeed in monopolising;.:' this 'beautiful beach, then Petone will' become : a place, which •' we 'shall;; thank God we: • aro' nofrjobliged .to live' in. The Scenery Preservation Society; should: keep ite; eye,: on'.these mattors;, the' local bodies .around' tho •harbour BhouH.Jealously.i guard.; the ,-■ public,,. rights and' improve;, and-;: preserve ■'■ the;:•'•'natural' beaches -which serve for recreation■ groundsj for bathing, ,boatmg,-'and picnicking; < and which ; if oUce', destroyed and monopolised can . never b«;replaced.—l;am. ete., ;'•';. ; j; ■'■;:k-<-.- i ..- : r :■:*,.■:■■::: ■•':'Xv v '- i ;--'V..X."'. ■ aruiy > -..; : :- : ry..v;^::}.-'::-:' ;: .:--:-