HEAVY INROAD OF SEA AT HOKITIKA.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1766, 3 June 1913, Page 5

HEAVY INROAD OF SEA AT HOKITIKA.

PREMISES UNDERMINED. PROPERTY WASHED OUT TO SEA. (By Tclcerarh.—Epccial Correspondent.) Hokitika, Juno 2. This morning a fierce nor'-wcstcrly ftoriu which howled along the West Coast played more havoc at tho rear of the business premises facing licvell Street, and liaxl a further disquieteniug effect upon the shopkeepers and residents. An exceptionally high tide was experienced at 8 o'clock this morning, ami, backed up by a heavy galo from the north-west, the Boa 211 ado further inroads into the back of tho business premises. The tide this morning carried away nbout a dozen feet of tho sections and fencos, and outhouses, trees, arid vegetables were washed away. Not only has tho tea eaten its way nearer tho Main Street, but it has removed thousands of tons of sand from tho beach, and in some places there is a bank of from eight to fourteen feet deep. Thousands of Tons Shifted. Many outhouses,' a large vinery, and tho olcl building which did service as tho first bank of New South Wales on the West Coast hang over tho bank and are in danger of being carried away. A fastflowing current and heavy seas from tho north carried away dozens of fences, scores of amateur embankments, and thousands of tons of sand. The pieco of heavy machinery mentioned last woek as' having Ijcen tossed up to within a few fret of tho back promises could not withstand tho force of this morning's angry flood, _ and lws disappeared altogether, having been oarried I out to sea. This piece of iron was variously estimated to weigh anything between a ton and a ton and a half, and has withstood dozens of storms. .The old ago pensioners who have a little settlement at the southern end of the beach liaye had a particularly anxious iinio during the recent: storms. In one instance the waves smashed clean through on old man's hut, and ho had to retreat to higher ground. Gold-bearing Sand Exposed. It is an ill wind whiohi blows nobody any good. This morning's fierce storm removed the surface from largo stretches of beach, and left exposed the black sand, which is nearly always gold-bearing. Regardless of the heavy rain, and the wild galo which has been blowing -all day, parties of men have been at work on tho beach skimming off the black sand And carting it out of the reach of tho waves. | So quickly does tho bench change its formation that tho next tide may bury tho black sand with several feet of ordinary sand. This evening's tide, although/ very high, did not do any damage, ns tho wind veered round from tho north-west to 1 southerly, and instead of tho current from tho river being driven inshore by tho heavy northerly wind, it flowed off- 1 shore. The residents are feeling very anxious, as tho spring tides are expected on Wednesday.