At a distance of 814ft off the beach at the suggested outfall - the nearest to the shore the boat could get - the depth (low water) was 15ft, while at Black Head - north of this locality - the lead returned a depth of 48ft and, in Mr Slinger's opinion, this head would form an ideal place for the outfall if expense were no object.
The board's engineer has been carrying on float tests for some time to ascertain the direction of the currents in this vicinity, but was puzzled as to the cause of the heavy surf break some distance out from the beach, and his sea voyage was also to verify his former conclusions as to the currents and to discover the cause of this break - whether it was brought about by a line of rock abutting on deep water or by a gradual shelving beach. His investigations proved that the beach at this point gradually shelves to the water line. Mr Slinger has now practically completed his preliminary investigations and will at once set to work to draw up plans of the route and estimates of the cost of the whole valley drainage scheme. The party did not have an altogether pleasurable sea trip, as they got their full share of the hail and heavy rain which fell on Saturday afternoon. Port Chalmers was reached again at about half-past 4.
• The Port Chalmers Borough Council has brought about a considerable improvement in the local town hall by the provision of seating accommodation capable of holding 400 persons. For a rather curious reason the hall has been bare of seating of any description since its erection in 1888.
The Port Chalmers Foresters' Hall was built in 1876, and when the poll was taken on the question of raising a loan to build the town hall a large number of people registered their votes in favour of the proposal only on the understanding that there were to be no seats in the hall, so that it could not compete against the Foresters' Hall.
After the lapse of all these years, the council now rightly considers that this unwritten agreement no longer holds good. The new seating consists of 150 comfortable straight-backed chairs and 20 red pine forms, capable of holding 250 people.
• Anglers in South Canterbury are enjoying fair sport in the various rivers, the latter being now clear again after the recent floods. The fish that are being caught are in good condition, but the big ones have not started to run yet, except in the Waitaki, where trout scaling 13lb to 20lb are being caught.
One or two big ones have also been taken from the Rangitata.
• The dangers of surf bathing at Ocean Beach are becoming known by degrees, and as each one is ascertained, it forms a warning for its possible avoidance in future.
Yesterday morning a young man named Fenwick experienced one of the risks incidental to surf bathing.
By some means he got into a bad back-wash, and would have been in serious danger but for the promptitude and pluck of a member of the Pacific Bathing Club, whose name we have not been able to ascertain.
Undoubtedly, by the assistance of the rescuer a fatality was averted. - ODT, 23.1.1912.
