Remedial work on sandhills.

DESPITE the heavy southwest wind which blew yesterday, accompanied as it was by cold rain showers, several thousand people journeyed to Saint Clair to view at first hand the damage which has been wrought there by the sea. The wellknown Ocean Drive is now but a memory, and the sea has eaten away a large part of the sandhills alongside which the drive was constructed. The seaward side of the sandhills now runs sheer up from the shore to a narrow ridge. Before the ocean commenced to make its present attack

on the big sandhill at St Clair, the entrance to the narrow track which commenced just below the bathing sheds and led over the hill to the children’s playground behind the Forbury Park racecourse, led in from the Ocean Drive, which was about 20 ft wide here. Yesterday the drive was also completely eaten away at that particular point and the entrance to the track undermined. Realising that something would have to be done quickly, the City Corporation commenced its counteroffensive on Saturday morning and a start was made with the work of carting rocks and scrub to St Clair in an endeavour to stop the serious erosion which has been taking place. Mr M. Stevenson, the contractor, had 14 teams working during the morning and a larger number during the afternoon. The work was continued on Sunday until dark and will be proceeded with until an improvement has been effected. Stone is being brought from the Musselburgh quarry.