Large cracks are already opened up further along, and it will be only a short time before the sea will begin to eat away land bordering residences which are beyond the borough boundary.
The same trouble was experienced at Timaru some years ago, but the sea's encroachments were arrested by the Borough Council having large blocks of basalt from the Harbour Board's quarries placed at the foot of the bank. This effectively protected the land, and none so shielded has since given way.
• Three feet deep, 18in wide, having a total span of 40ft, and weighing close on 10 tons, the big steel girder destined for the new building being erected in Princes street for the Dresden Piano Company presented a pretty difficult problem yesterday to those responsible for its transportation from Messrs A. and T.
Burt's yard to its destination. The journey was safely accomplished, however, with the aid of eight horses and a stoutly-constructed timber waggon. By means of a jack the girder was then raised on to a pile of sleepers, and the waggon was removed. This morning it will be moved over against the building on rolled steel joists, and will then be jacked up into position. As it is jacked up sleepers will be inserted underneath, so that by the time it reaches the desired height it will rest on two columns of sleepers. It is claimed to be the biggest girder that has ever been put into a building in Dunedin. The new building, which has been designed by Messrs Salmon and Vanes, will have seven storeys, including two below the street level, and is to be constructed of brick and ferro-concrete, with the exception of the frontage, which will have a steel frame surmounted by black and yellow tiles - the Dresden colours.
• The old story of the loaded revolver and the boy who "didn't think it was loaded" was repeated in Kaitangata on Wednesday evening. It seems that at the skating rink a Territorial exhibited to some friends his bayonet. In friendly rivalry a boy produced a revolver and was showing it when it went off and shot one of his companions in the groin.
The wounded man seemed severely hurt and was hurriedly rushed along to the doctor's.
An examination there showed that the bullet had penetrated three thicknesses of cloth and had struck a glancing blow on the flesh, drawing blood, but had not penetrated to any extent. The position of the wound was dangerous. Fortunately, however, the direction was a glancing one, but if it had been direct a main artery would have been severed and death perhaps resulted.
After the patient had been attended to he went home and, searching for the bullet, found it in his clothes.
It is understood that a case of "discharging firearms in a public place" will be an outcome of the incident. The boy with the revolver, however, has learnt one lesson, for he speedily disposed of his "gun" by throwing it in the river. - ODT, 22.8.1912.
