REMOVAL OF SAND

Evening Star, Issue 14932, 19 July 1912, Page 3

REMOVAL OF SAND

from ocean beach. domain board criticised. a spirited"defence. The firet part of a meeting held at St. Kiida last night for the purpose of protesting emphatically against tli« removal of sand from the lupined dunes along Victoria road was such as would have caused an hysterical person to fancy that his , duty "was to make preparation for calling out the Territorials, commercial motor waggons, and the State coal truck to proceed to the Ocean Beach and dam the tide rn order to save the progressiva borough of St. Kilda. And yet, before ths meeting finished in a happy spirit, it had been asserted on the authority of one who has spent about 20 years in the energeitc study of the best processes of binding shiftiru sand that the borough is perfectly safe, that it is better protected than ever it was before, and that the worst offenders m the matter of cutting fences down and removing sand had been the very Borough Council who had summoned the meeting. All that mav seem a bit sarcastic, but it is an honest summary of the meeting, which was attended by the Mayor of fet. Kilda 'Mr S. G. Macdonald), Crs Hams and J- D. Cameron (St. Kilda Borough Council). Crs E. S. Black, and L. Wrjght (Roelyn Borough Council). Cr H. A. Le Cren (Mornington Borough Council), and Cr J H. Hancock (representing the City Council, and unofficially the Domain Board). The party re-presented tho various municipal bodies contributing to the Domain Board. The Mayor of St. Kilda was chairman. The Chairman explained that the meeting had been called by his council for the purpose of discussing the practice oi removing sand from Ocean Beach, and, if thought fit, to enter an emphatic protest si gainst that practice, which his council looked ' upon with very great concern. If the practice were not stopped scon it was verv probable that the fiat lands adjacent to Ocean Beach would be in great danger of flooding by the sea. After expressing the opinion that the timo had come for making the Domain Board more democratic in constitution, so that ratepavers might have a direct voice in the management, and that the money subscribed to the board (£360) by the contributing bodies was ridiculously inadequate, he went on to explain that by the authority of the Domain Board sand had been and was still being removed from the Sandhills on Victoria road, and given to the City Corporation. And the Domain Board were net the only delinquents. The Otngo A. and P. Society were also allowing contractors to remove sand. Thousands of loads had been removed. Mr Le Cren asked if it were really a fact that sand was being removed by the authority of the Domain Board. The Chairman replied in the affirmative, and remarked that the City Council. to whom it was being given, were one of the largest contributing bodies. Mr Le Creri said it was a pity that the delegates had not had an opportunity of inspecting the Sandhills. (Hear, hear.) The Chairman pointed out that ample time had been given to inspect the Sandhills. The notices .had been sent out ..J days ago.

Mr Ee Cren begged to differ from the : chairman's view of this matter. Mr Black ssid that the Rex-Iym Council's <V legates hr?d been appointed two days ago. Ht- 'thought that the St. Kilda Council veld have put the thing in a businesslike T<*ition. and given particulars as to the area affected, the amount of weakness already caused, and an estimate of the damage likely to accrue from the practice of removing" eand. It was all'very well to fny that thousands of loads had been taken uway. Such a statement might mean anything, unless thcTe had been a tally clerk on the *pot. But tho point he could hardly credit wae the statement that the Domain Board, who had deno so much during the past 15 years to protect the foreFhore at Ocean Beach, were allowing the removal of eand. Personally, he was against any encroachment on the Sandhills, or any weakening of the batteries of defence "Nature was erecting. But he. fell that the chairman of the Domain Board would hardly change- his policy, which had ever been in favor of building up. With ail due deference to the chairman, he wa.i disfotcd to believe that unless thing?; had altered radically at Ocean Beach very recently the position had been rather exaggerated. It serried to hint that the fet'ing of insecurity had also been exuberated. If there" was any real cause for alarm Roslyn Court ei l would do all they could to assist St. Kilda in protecting the foreshore against encroachment by tho ocean. If sand was being removed indiscriminately, it was time that action was takem to put a stop to the practice. He did not think that his council would be willing to spend more money in contributing to the boaid. The council's purso was not very heavy. Mr Harris gave it as hi? opinion that it would be. - nwise to confine their attention t-> the shortcomings of the Domain Board. Though he bel-eved that the hoard had allowed too much sand to be removed, hewas more concerned over the carting of sand by the Tahuna Park Company. A part of their land ran along the Sandhills, and at ono portion «ind was being removed from the toe of the hill near their boundary. The fence had been cut open, and people were being allowed to cart sand i*way. And as rapidly as the sand was Terrcved fresh supplies slipped down from the, hill. He thought that inquiry should \>e made as to whether it were- possible, tc compel the focie-tv to fence their land in. Mr Cameron said that, in hk opinion, the removal of sand was vandalism in the h:oadest 6.ens<> of the word. The Domain Board seemed to have more wisdom than God Almighty. They seemed to caxt sand away on the understanding, apparently, that it was not required. (hie had only to stand at the St. Kilda tram terminus i.nd look towards the ocean to see tho top of the breakers. And near there the Domain Board were cutting into the eand. Perhaps it vould only bo a question of time until the ocean came in. He recalled the tima when he sailed along tho Main road i:i a. flatty. Ho felt that St, Kilda Cotntil were justified in calling this meeting, with a view to prevent a recurrence of that inrush of the sea. He strongly objected to eand being removed for filling-in pvrposee. Mr Hancock asked that the Domain Board's letter on the matter be read. The letter showed that the board did not intend to remove a large quantity. The Chairman eaid that his council's protest had had no effect at all. Mr Hancock made a. spirited defence- of the Domain Board. Although ho was lvally representing the City Council it gave him 'pleasure to defend tho board and himself. He regretted that His Worship the Mayor had exaggerated the position very much indeed. The Chairman: Yery well. It would have been better, continued Mr Hancock, if His Worship had interviewed him at the time the protest was made. He then would have gob the facts, which would now be put before the meeting. In the first place, the City Council had nothing whatever to do with the removal of the sand. The Chairman: The sand is being put on City property. Mr Hancock reiterated his statement, and explained the arrangement between the board and a contractor. It had been made to appear that the' board had boon sinnere in the matter. As a matter of fact the St. Kilda Council were the sinners. H« mentioned that after the board had obtaintd permission from the council to fence :ie Toad line, and after it had been erected, the council ordered eomeone to go and ruthlessly cut down that fence*. Mr Cameron: No. Mr Hancock asserted that someone went there and cut down the fence, allowing a five-chain span to fall back in this manner (speaker outstretched his arms). The council then took sand from that place. There was some argument as to when that took place, the chairman denying that sand had been removed by the council during the past .four years. Mr Hancock said it was only a few years ago. It was sufficient to state the facts. He knew what he was talking about, and claimed to know that he knew moro about the .Sandhills, every inch of them, than anyone at the meeting. He went on to explain that the board bad decided to ©b-

tain a gnrrey of the Domain, and in order j to facilitate the survey it was agreed to removo a portion of the eand. It had been arranged to give the City Engineer 600, loads *t 3d per load, the proceeds to go towards building up tha Sandhills. (Hear, hear.) The Chairman asked when the contract for 600 loads had finished. Mr Hancock : Finished to-day, sir. Ho went on to assure the meeting that tha board were as anxious as the St. Kilda Council to protect St. Kilda. It must have been, noticed what the board were doing. Ho pointed out. that a* ono time tho lagoon had been within a. chain and a half from tho Victoria road. The borough was now permanently protected, and tho lagoon was 10 chains away from Victoria oad. He went on to show the great extent of the work done on both sides of tho St. Kilda entrance to tho beach, and said that at the present time the board were increasing tho protection at St. Kilda by one vard a day. By way of supporting his statements ho remarked that the worka in hand were under the supervision of Mr Furkert. who was hardly a man to allow anything that would jeopardise the borough. (Hear, hear.) As to tho talk ibout the danger of the sea rushing in, thev would surely recognise that if it were to come in at all it would be by the open road opposite the tram line, which was only 6in above high water at the ordinary spring tides. But they weTo protected sffc above that. There wa6 absolutely no danger. If he thought th,ero wore danger he would be the first to take steps to combat it. He instanced tho fact that at the battery a certain amount of excavation had been done. Why had not the council protested then? The Chairman : How long a-go was that done ? Mr Hancock : Three months ago. Of course, he only mentioned these things to show there was no danger. He was sorry to have heard the exaggerated statements as to the quantity of sand taken away. The Chairman said he could prove that his statements were substantially correct. Mr Hancock said there might be proof, and confessed that he had heard many ■assertions. He reiterated his statements that tho City Council were blameless, that tho St. Kilda Council were the worse j sinners, and that there was absolutely no cause for alarm. Mr Cameron asked if the sand removed bv the board had been taken off the road line. Mr Hancock said that it was impossible to define the board's eTaiii of sand and the council's grain. (Daughter.) He assured them, however, that the sand was being removed from the beard's side of the fence. As to the A. and P. .Society, the board had a perfect understanding with the r-ociety's secretary. The Chairman said ho would accept Mr Hancock's explanations. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Black, to express fatisfaction with tho administration of the board. Mr Hancock extended a hearty invitation to the delegate* and reporters to visit the Domain, and fee what the board had done and what they intended to do. The j matter of fixing a day was left to the i chairman and Mr Hancock.