SEA ENCROACHMENTS AT WESTPORT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 27, 29 July 1871, Page 16

SEA ENCROACHMENTS AT WESTPORT.

Very heavy penalties have been paid at Westport as the result of building on sandy foundations toe close to the water. To persons who have visited the West Coast townships of the Middle Island the following accounts will be, if not more interesting, at least more intelligible, than to those who have not. Something similar seems to bo threatened at Westport in a more formidable form than was experienced at Hokitika in the early days, when the whole of the small township at the end of Revell street was washed bodily away. We take the following particulars from the “ Westport Times” of the 6th inst.:—

“During the past forty-eight hours Westport has been visited by a succession of high tides, which, together with a very heavy surf, have encroached terribly upon the beach from the north spit in the direction of the Orawaiti. A few issues back we meutioned that a narrow strip of beach yet remained between high water mark and the rear of the properties in North Gladstone street. All this has been since swept away by the breakers. Tuesday night’s tide was very severe, and fully twenty feet of beach, between Molesworth street and Dr. Thorpe’s residence were washed away. Yesterday at noon the surf raged with similar fury, inflicting considerable damage. The premises belonging to Mr Williams, chemist, were partially undermined by the action of the waves, the entire building very (much (shaken, and the fencing and outhouses completely demolished. Similar damage was done to the premises south of Palmerston street. A portion of the premises occupied by Mr Butler was washed away, and the two shops adjoining were completely flooded. The Little Grey Hotel, the property of Mr Emanuel, was also ankle deep, and the bowling saloon was partially undermined. Mr M. Steel’s Buller Hotel was similarly flooded, and the fencing of the Nelson Hotel adjoining, and numerous outbuildings were destroyed. At this point a strip of solid ground fully fifty feet wide has been swept away. The premises of Mr Brown, grocer; Messrs Jones and Colvin, proprietors of the Victoria Butchery, who had but quite recently purchased the property, and Mr Corpenter, poulterer and greengrocer, were also flooded to a depth of several inches, and the remaining properties in the block were surrounded with water. Several cottages in Molesworth street, and others, situated at the rear of the above mentioned premises, were also swept away or damaged. At the end of Freeman street also the inroad has been considerable. The. flagstaff and shed for the signals, lamps, &c., were swept away, and a small hut was dislodged from its position and carried into the middle of Herbert street. On the low lying por-

tions of Molesworth and Freemen streets there was a depth of several feet of water which partially discharged itself into the river near the National Hotel. The water surrounded the Gaol, the Athenaeum, the Fire Engine Shed, and a portion of the Government buildings. Dr Thorpe’s residence was also completely surrounded by the flood, as also various properties between it and Palmerston street. The surf concontinued to roll up with scarcely abated fury for fully two hours after high water, when the gale freshened with. every appearance of the following tide inflicting greater damage. As the surf receded the work of dismantling and removing the building commenced. Messrs Bull and Bond, who held the contract for the removal of Mr William’s premises, in the course of a few hours had taken down the building, and Mr Emanuel’s American bowling saloon was also removed.”

The next issue of the same paper has the following:—“ Since our last issue he sea has continued the work of destruction. On Thursday last the property, formerly known as the Provincial, was submitted to auction, and was finally knocked down to Mr O’Conor. There was a considerable attendance, but the imminent danger with which the premises were threatened precluded buyers from operating. As soon as the property was sold the work of dismantling was proceeded with, and had to be done hurriedly in order to save the building being swept away by the breakers. The adjoining property belongs to a Mr Cass, vesident in Auck land. The premises are partially undermined, and unless removed, must be totally destroyed. The Little Grey Hotel, owned by Mr Emanuel, is also being taken down, and the debris removed. The remaining properties immediately threatened are the Buller Hotel and the Nelson Hotel, numerous outbuildings attached do the latter having been undermined by the surf.