The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, JULY 5, 1875

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2028, 5 July 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, JULY 5, 1875

Some people who have the misfortune to live on the Beach—in what is iby courtesy; termed " Eyre-street"-r-went to church like decent people last night. They had to flounder through a boiling surf as they went, but they hoped that the tide would ■ be down before evening service was over,j and that they would be able to make their homes in tolerable comfort and safety. - In this they ;were egregiously mistakon.! T The gale gathered in force and the tide rose higher and higher; ,and when these confiding people returned, expecting to get home, they found that they were isolated by a tide such as has not been seen for--many a day,; if ever before. The miserably narrow strip of earth which is called a footpath was binder water; tlie tide was at least a foot

deep up to the garden fences, and was doing its level best to knock down the fences. It did not do that, but the water found its way inside; and little grass plots, croquet grounds and flower beds — formed at some trouble and expense and tended with care during long years —were covered with the tide to the depth of a foot, while the water was rapidly encroaching, going tip to the door sills. The water was running halfway up Willoughby street, and during a pelting rain and a gale of wind these ratepaying people had toretrace their;Btep8 y and seek shelter intheir homes by climbing fences or breaking them down at the back part of their properties, obtaining access through spjne, vacant allotments in Pollen street. The gardens are well saturated with sea water, which will probably destroy the labor of years. It cannot very well get out, and must remain until absorbed by the soil. The residents at the Shortland end of Eyre street were not the only persons who suffered by the gale and the high tide last night. At the Grahamstown end matters were if anything worse. The tide knocked down the fences and encroached on the gardens, doing incalculable damage.. In some instances nearly !aHfth^soilhiis|been carried away,/leaving the ro6°ts of plants and trees exposed; in bthers the tide has banked loads of coarse sand and gravel, wliich is as bad as if'the soil had been taken right away. The damage is widespread all along the beach line. Perhaps after this the Borough Council will do something to. prevent:* recurrence -of such an incident) The residents/have paid rates to Highway Board or Council for years, and they have scarcely had a i singlo! shilling; expended to make footpaths even safe. The matter has-been brought before the Council, and yet nothing has been done, the excuse being that there is no money. We could point out localities on which money has been cx- , pehded in making substantial footpaths where the necessity was not nearly so urgent as thia locality in Eyre street. If the Borough were divided into Wards, the burgesses generally might expect to have their interests looked after, and we trust they will bring pressure to bear on the Council to have this done. It is manifestly unfair- that the ratepayers-in ofte locality should have their interests persistently ignored while money is spent on other portions of*^Borough. If the Council is short of money—and it is no doubt badly off in this respect —some fair appropriation of what money is available should be made, SO that the expenditure may be equitably distributed. If something is not 'done to control the tides the residents in Eyre street and on the Beach generally will have to remove to higher ground; for if there should be many gales, and tides like those of last night certain premises would become untenable. A strong and united frepresentationought to be made to the Council to induce it to undertake protec-: tive works at once.