EROSION ON FORESHORE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1921, Page 5

EROSION ON FORESHORE.

POSITION AT NEW PLYMOUTH. ERECTION OF GROYNES ADVOCATED. The fact that there is a considerable amount of erosion taking place along [the foreshore in New Plymouth was the subject of comment by Cr. J. Brown at last nighte meeting of the Borough Council. Jr. Brown said that the sea was making inroads from the baths right along towards the breakwater, but particularly in the locality of the bathhouse, and he urged that something should be dune to preserve the lands adjoining. The Mayor said this was entering on a big question, as practically the whole of the west coast was eroding. They were noticing the effects in New Plymouth, due, no doubt, to the erection of the breakwater diverting the sand, and the only remedy, he thought, would be to put out groynes; all were agreed on that point. Minutes of the council business in post years would show that resolutions on these lines were carried, but somehow the groynes had never been constructed. A recent instance of the inroads made by the sea was to be found at Woolcom.be Terrace, and he believed that one or two groynes should be put out at once. The general manager (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) said the council was in possession of a report from consulting engineers on the question of putting groynes along the foreshore, and the estimate was that the work would cost anything between fifty and sixty thousand pounds. The Mayor remarked that in a few years’ time it would probably cost £250,000. Cr. Brown said the erosion was becoming particularly bad near the swimming baths, and he thought the council ought to do something to protect this property. He agreed with the Mayor on the subject of groynes. The general manager said he had introduced the question at the time of the alteration in the railway route, but the matter was not taken up. The Mayor stated that the engineer (Mr. Cook) would be submitting plans in regard to the proposed groynes at East End in about a fortnight, and the question might be considered again. Possibly the council might see fit to devote part of the present allocation to construct, groynes at other points on the fomhere.