The effect the wall is already having on the foreshore is being made strikingly manifest, as with the holding back of the water the mud flats are being dried under the sun's rays, and the original underlying white sand is working its way to the top.
In place of the soft ooze the flat has taken on a firm condition, and yesterday afternoon a young lady could be seen galloping a horse across the surface.
When the wall is made quite watertight, the whole of the enclosed flat will take on a hard surface, and though the silt from the harbour pumped into the enclosure will necessarily carry a large quantity of water, this water will be pumped out into the Drainage Board's sewer at the sandhills, and make its way to the ocean.
Channels in the enclosure will lead the silt water to the pumping pipes leading to the sewer, and the sandspoil remaining will thus be both drained and dried, coming under the influence of sun and wind.
• On occasions surf-bathing off the Napier beach is rather dangerous (states the Telegraph) especially when the sea is running at all high, and several bathers who have gone out when these conditions have prevailed have paid for their temerity with their lives.
For the protection of these people the Royal Life Saving Society is erecting two flagpoles - one on the baths and one on the beach in front of Edwardes street.
The danger signal will be a red flag, and when the surf is in a dangerous condition these flags will be flown.
Any person found in the water while these flags are flying will be prosecuted, and for this purpose the members of the executive have been made "beach constables'' with power to prosecute anybody who enters the water.
• A protest against the protection of hawks was made at a meeting of the executive of the Auckland Farmers' Union last week.
Mr J. H. Fisher, who was unable to be present, wrote stating that the decision of the Government to protect hawks was "one of the most insane affairs it was possible to imagine.''
Major Lusk expressed the opinion that it was a piece of absolute nonsense.
He thought it possible, however, that legislation might permit the protection of the birds only in districts where it was desired, but as far as Auckland was concerned there was no good reason for introducing the protection.
On the motion of Major Lusk, it was decided to write to the Minister of Internal Affairs, stating that the farmers of the Auckland province strongly objected to any protection of hawks. - ODT, 20.1.1916.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
